STATEMENT
AT THE CONCLUSION
OF THE
SEVENTEENTH SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF
HEADS OF GOVERNMENT OF THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM) ON PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES
PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD
Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) met in special session in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 4 November, 2014, for deliberations on the two current public health challenges facing the Community: Ebola Virus Disease (EVD); and the Chikungunya outbreak.
Heads of Government expressed considerable concern, not just in relation to the possible health impact of the Ebola Virus Disease, but also about the disruption a single case could cause in the economic and social life in our Region. The Heads of Government emphasized that the responses to the diseases must be a Community effort. No Member State of CARICOM must battle these public health challenges on its own.
The Community’s responses to the two public health challenges are being coordinated by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
Ebola
The Meeting accepted that the likelihood of penetration of the Ebola Virus Disease in the Region is low, based on the low level of traffic from affected areas. While there have been no reported cases of EVD in the Region, it urged the strengthening of the Regional Public Health capacity to confront the possibility of an outbreak of Ebola and any other future public health challenge(s).
The Meeting endorsed the measures taken so far by CARPHA, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Secretariat and the Government of Cuba, to establish and strengthen Regional capabilities to confront Ebola. The Heads of Government extended the Region’s condolences to those affected by the disease, expressed solidarity with international efforts to support the affected West African countries and wished a speedy reversal of the epidemic. Read more