WASHINGTON, DC – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Monday urged countries to step-up efforts to tackle malaria in the region, calling for prevention, diagnosis and treatment interventions that are data-led and tailored to local contexts.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Barbados Parliament Tuesday gave the green light to a further extension of the state of emergency (SOE) as the island deals with a new wave of cases linked to COVID-19.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Health authorities Wednesday warned Trinidad and Tobago against relaxing “very hard-won gains” in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, as the country prepares to observe the long Easter weekend.

ROSEAU, Dominica – The director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO),  Dr Carissa Etienne, Tuesday said Caribbean Community (CARICOM) trade ministers have been blocking attempts to encourage food labeling in the region, renewing a call for taxes on sugar and sweetened beverages.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony said Tuesday that there were “zero vaccinations” done over the long Easter weekend and appealed to Guyanese to get vaccinated against the coronavirus even as the country relaxes most of the measures that had been put in place to curb the spread of the virus.

GENEVA – The World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) says a single-dose Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine delivers solid protection against HPV, the virus that causes cervical cancer.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Salus Medical Inc., a local medical distribution company, has announced plans to introduce robot-assisted surgery to Guyana’s healthcare sector – a first for the region.

TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands – Health Minister Carvin Malone says the government of this British Overseas territory will be making several amendments to the current COVID-19 regulations in the territory including the removal of the mask mandate in outdoor public spaces.

PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – The Director of Israel’s National Burn Center at the Sheba Medical Centre, Professor Josef Haik, arrived in Haiti earlier this week to help patients who were badly injured when a fuel tanker crashed in the north of the county last December . 

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s COVID-19 response has been boosted by approximately J$40 million (US$258,000) in the form of new medical equipment, courtesy of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

PARAMARIBO, Suriname – The Suriname government has relaxed a number of the measures put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

OTTAWA, Canada – Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced over US$170- million in additional funding to support COVID-19 vaccination needs in lower income countries, including the Caribbean.