Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 17, 2016 (SKNIS): Minister of Health Honourable Eugene Hamilton said that there is no greater threat to our health security than vectors and the diseases they transmit. He noted this at the second Workshop to Develop a Regional Network on Research and Control of Emerging Vector-Bourne Diseases in the Caribbean being held in St. Kitts from May 17 – 20.
Vectors are disease-carrying organisms such as the aedes aegypti mosquito or mice.
Minister Hamilton emphasized that the collaboration between the St. Kitts Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and the consortium that secured funding from the Special Programme for Tropical Diseases Research and Training (TDR) which facilitated the workshop, needed to continue. The first workshop was held December 2015 in Trinidad on Surveillance Diagnostics while the one currently being held concentrates on vector-control and research and is co-hosted with the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis.
“It is true that NCDs (Non Communicable Diseases) constitute our greatest health burden,” Minister Hamilton said. “It is also true that outbreaks of vector-bourne diseases increase morbidity, sick leave, loss of productivity and create surge demand on all health facilities and related finances. Indeed palpable anxiety, fear and sheer panic accompany outbreaks and new infections, rumours of an outbreak or the potential for one. The emotional response extends beyond our borderts to our tourism-source markets.”
Minister Hamilton went on to make the connection between concerns caused by vector-bourne illnesses and the impact on the economies of the region.
“As Zika has reminded us travel advisories can make tourism-based economies like ours wobble,” he said. “The negative impact of existing and vector-bourne diseases on the economy defines this workshop as a health and development activity. Although your deliberations will be rooted in science and technology, the all-important issue of sustainable growth and development of small states looms large over all that will be said and decided this week.”
Addressing the regional network, which is expected to be the outcome of the two workshops, Minister Hamilton noted that no Caribbean country can tackle vector-bourne illnesses on its own, but it will take a collaborative effort. He said this was particularly so since tourism requires open borders.
“Closing the borders is not an option,” Minister Hamilton said. “One solution is the strongest possible integrated approach to vector reduction or elimination with the participation of all of the relevant actors in the network.”
Minister Hamilton expressed the government’s pleasure at supporting the relationship between Ross University, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and partners.
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