Dr. Shandey Malcolm, Deputy Chief National Epidemiologist, Mr. Leroy Adams, Deputy Director of Environmental Health and Ms. Alrisa Gardiner, Senior Public Health Nurse, will be representing the Ministry of Health and Human Services at the CARPHA Expert Consultation on Chikungunya in the Caribbean in Trinidad, March 3-5, 2015.
The Conference is being held under the theme “Chikungunya in the Caribbean; Meeting Today’s Challenge and Preparing for the Future.”
Chikungunya virus was first detected in the Caribbean in 2013 and has led to more than 800,000 suspected cases in the Caribbean and Latin America and has considerable impact on the health and economics of the entire Caribbean Region.
Cases of Chikungunya were first reported in the Turks and Caicos Islands in May of 2014. Reports of Chikungunya increased during the rainy season when we experienced flooding throughout the TCI. In recent months, reported cases of Chikungunya have decreased. However, we have to remain vigilant.
Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. The best way to prevent the spread of Chikungunya is to protect yourself from mosquito bites, eliminate mosquito breeding sites and keep your environment clean.
During the three-day meeting, discussions will be held on the long-term impact of Chikungunya surveillance and outbreak response; entomological surveillance, control and management; clinical care and services as well as laboratory services, research and innovation; and communication strategies and experiences.
The Ministry of Health and Human Services is pleased to be represented at this meeting. As stated by the Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Dr. James Hospedales, the meeting is expected to provide a unique opportunity to review efforts to position mosquito-borne diseases as a high priority in the public health agenda, and examine the potential for public-private partnerships as Government alone cannot solve the problem.
