At the symposium with over 40 participants present, Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Dr. James Hospedales said that the Caribbean can properly manage the current dengue and chikungunya outbreaks. To date 500 cases have been confirmed in the region with the latest confirmation coming out of Suriname.
He said that using the region’s research and education network C@ribNET, health care practitioners, researchers, physicians and public health experts and practitioners can manage the two vector-borne illnesses. He emphasized information sharing and a region-wide coordinated preventative diagnostic and control mechanism as part of the plan to control a potential public health nightmare for the Caribbean.
He made these remarks while speaking at a recent symposium hosted by CARPHA and the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) indicating that several proactive measures were already in place to prevent and control the Chikungunya virus, including providing laboratory diagnosis and regional co-ordination. Regional co-ordination will be managed through “an incident management team” and a regional public education awareness programme.
Dr Bernadette Theodore-Gandi, PAHO/WHO representative for T&T rallied a cry for research and policy to be translated into action through the sharing of information across all sectors.
Both diseases are carried by the same mosquito and present with severe headache, fever, joint pains and in the case of chickungunya, rash, muscle pain and joint pain that can last for as long as two years.
