Providenciales, 09 Dec 2014 – Experts are on the ground, trained in a worst case scenario on how to ship Ebola Virus Disease out of the country if it is ever detected in The Turks and Caicos Islands. News has quieted down somewhat, but the guard is still up at the country’s ports of entries with monitoring and temperature testing as the Turks and Caicos and the Caribbean remain Ebola-Free. Recently a series of workshops were held in the region; the Turks and Caicos attending one in mid-November which has now delivered to the country four Category A professionals to contend with the deadly Ebola Virus Disease or EVD.
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) sponsored the “Infectious Shipping Training”; held November 17-19 and now Andrico Garland, medical technologist at the TCI Hospitals is among those ready for any EVD action, if it comes our way. Health Minister, Hon Porsha Smith said: “The training was done in accordance with The World Health Organization (WHO) Guidance on regulations for the Transport of Infectious Substances…”.
These four technologists Certified as Category A IATA Professionals are the only individuals in the country trained to handle and package the likes of Ebola specimens. Twelve countries were represented at the training held in Port of Spain, Trinidad where CARPHA is headquartered.
