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News : International Last Updated: Mar 30, 2017 - 12:20:23 PM


PAHO/WHO office for Bahamas and TCI joins region in announcing elimination of Rubella
By PAHO/WHO
Apr 29, 2015 - 6:09:39 PM

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Dr. Gerry Eijkemans, PWR, The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, reveals the latest public health win for our region - the elimination of rubella to public health officials.

News of latest public health win revealed at Department of Public Health Immunization Seminar celebrating the 13th Vaccination Week in The Americas

As regional events continue for Vaccination Week in the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) country office for The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands announced a significant public health win to members of the health sector at a seminar this morning, held in partnership with the Department of Public Health.

Dr. Gerry Eijkemans, PAHO/WHO country representative for The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, delivered remarks at the Expanded Programme on Immunization Unit Seminar, one of several local activities commemorating the 13th Vaccination Week in the Americas. Her remarks included the successes of PAHO/WHO and the Region of the Americas in the eradication of diseases: being first to eradicate smallpox in 1973; first to eliminate polio in 1994, and now first in the world to be verified free of rubella/congenital rubella syndrome in 2015. A major press conference was held this morning in Washington, DC to formally announce the eradication of the disease in this region.

“The Bahamas joins 44 countries in the region that can now celebrate the success of strong and well-coordinated vaccination programs. This morning in Washington DC, at PAHO Headquarters, we can now announce that the Americas have become the first region in the world to be declared free of endemic transmission of rubella!” said Dr. Eijkemans.

She further went on to congratulate the hard work and dedication of public health workers to help ensure vaccination levels remain high and stressed the importance that ‘now is not the time to get complacent but to ensure that we remain vigilant in our work.’ “We must continue to ensure our communities recognize – vaccines are the most effective public health tool in the world.” said Dr. Eijkemans.

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L-R, Mrs. Sherry Armbrister, Senior Nursing Officer, Department of Public Health, Dr. Gerry Eijkemans, PWR, The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, Mrs. Ruth Bastian, Senior Nursing Officer, Department of Public Health, and Dr. Delon Brennen, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Ministry of Health show support for Vaccination Awareness Week.

Highlighting the challenges faced by the recent measles outbreak she noted, “High coverage rates not only protect the vaccinated, but also the more vulnerable and remote communities. The measles outbreak now occurring in the United States of America is an example of what happens when vaccination rates fall, leaving a large population of persons susceptible to disease. In the case of a disease such as measles, is it so contagious that it is easily transmitted and outbreaks occur rapidly. This should be of particular concern to The Bahamas given your largest industry is tourism and you see millions of visitors to your shores each year.”

The PWR remarks also addressed the connection between universal health coverage and vaccination programs. “Vaccinations are a central component to universal health coverage, in that it is accessible to all who need it. We must ensure everyone in our country can benefit, no matter where they are born, who they are, or where they live.”

Dr. Eijkemans concluded by highlighting the important role that health care workers have in dispelling the myths around vaccines. “These rumors/myths harm the efforts of our country to maintain a healthy population. Vaccines do not cause autism, attention deficit disorder or hyperactivity. They will not overload a child’s immune system. And idea that diseases that have disappeared no longer require vaccinations – is completely untrue.”

PAHO/WHO looks forward to continued collaboration and support with The Bahamas and all our public health partners to ensure that residents “Boost Their Power! Get Vaccinated!” for a Healthy Bahamas.

For more information on the Elimination of Rubella and Vaccination Week in the Americas, please visit: www.paho.org/bah

About Vaccination Week in the Americas

In 2002, prompted by a measles outbreak in Venezuela and Colombia, the health ministers of countries in the Andean region proposed a coordinated international vaccination effort to help prevent future outbreaks. Country participation in VWA is flexible and based on national health priorities. Since the first celebration of Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) in 2003, hundreds of millions of individuals of all ages have been vaccinated against a wide range of vaccine preventable diseases such as measles, rubella, yellow fever, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, and influenza, through activities conducted under the framework of the initiative. Multiple VWA social mobilization campaigns have also been undertaken throughout the region and the initiative has received ever increasing political support, including the launch of World Immunization Week in 2012. The theme for Vaccination Week in the Americas 2015 is “Boost Your Power! Get Vaccinated”

About PAHO/WHO

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is an international public health agency with more than 100 years of experience in working to improve health and living standards of the countries of the Americas. It serves as the specialized organization for health of the Inter-American System. It also serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization and enjoys international recognition as part of the United Nations system.

About PAHO/WHO in The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands
The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) was first established in The Bahamas in 1978 as a sub-regional office of the Jamaica Office. By 1982, it was upgraded to a full Country Office Status.

Since then, an important and healthy relationship has evolved, and although the priorities have shifted, PAHO/WHO has enjoyed a long history of engaging and supporting the Bahamas and Turks Caicos to ensure better health and quality of life of the general population.

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