The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) gave heads of government an update that stressed the need for a comprehensive response to COVID-19, Mpox, and other threats to health security in the region. These include the threat of Zika coming back, the threat of Dengue and other diseases spread by vectors, the low use of vaccines, and the problems that come with the regular expanded programme of immunization.
Heads of Government heard that Member States were not sending enough surveillance data, which could make it harder to find threats to the Region and respond to them quickly. They told Member States to keep an eye out for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, keep up with active surveillance, and encourage the use of established guidelines for prevention and control to stop the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases.
They agreed that there needed to be enough money put into Vector Control Programs to stop Zika from spreading in the Region.
They agreed to help CARPHA start the Vaccine Campaign to improve the number of people who are vaccinated against COVID-19 and to keep the regular expanded program of immunization activities going.
Heads of Government were happy that the World Bank set up the Pandemic Fund. This fund will pay for important investments to improve the ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics at the national, regional, and global levels, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. In the first round of the process, member states were strongly urged to send in Expressions of Interest to use the Fund.
Heads of Government congratulated Dr. Joy St. John, the Executive Director of CARPHA, on being named Vice Chair of the Pandemic Fund Board’s Technical Advisory Panel.
Heads of Government were worried about how many Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases there were, and they stressed how important it was to keep working to solve the problem.
