Caribbean News
GUYANA: Benefits of HPV vaccine touted -as Vaccination Week concludes in Moco Moco
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence
#Guyana, April 30, 2018 – Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence has reiterated that the myths and misconceptions of the Human Papilloma Virus vaccine must be put aside since administering the injection is the key to preventing the disease. The Public Health Minister was speaking at the closing ceremony for Vaccination Week-Guyana on April 27 in Moco Moco village, Region Nine.
“It had been recognised that myths and other misconceptions of the HPV vaccines are being peddled. This is hampering successful implementations and efficacy of the vaccine… Let us put aside the myths and the stories and get our girls immunised… because when cancer comes, no myth or story can help them. Then, parents are crying, families depressed, everybody is looking for a miracle. The only miracle available at the moment in Guyana is the HPV Vaccine,” the minister said.
Children of Moco Moco Nursery School performing an acrostic poem on effective vaccines.
“We have the responsibility to protect our children especially our girls…we have the right and the responsibility to ensure that they are vaccinated living a healthy life without cancer,” she added.
Since 2017, the vaccination has again been made available free of charge at all public health facilities, for administered to all girls between the ages of 9 to 13 upon their parents’ approval.
UNICEF, country Representative, Paolo Marchi also supported the minister’s call for the public to be more open to the vaccination including against HPV. He commended the Maternal and Child Health Department of the Ministryfor the robust work being undertaken to ensure there 100 percent vaccination coverage.
This is the 16th year Ministry of Public Health is collaborating with PAHO/WHO to host Vaccination Week in Guyana. This year, as part the weeklong celebration, the Ministry chose to highlight its vaccination services countrywide especially to far-flung communities, particularly those near borders.
Residents of Moco Moco Village, Region Nine.
By: Delicia Haynes (DPI Guyana)
Editor’s Note:
HPV vaccine is an inactivated (not live) vaccine which protects against four major types of HPV. These include two types that cause about 70% of cervical cancer and two types that cause about 90% of genital warts. The vaccine is routinely recommended for girls 9 and 13 years of age.
From April 21-28, 2018, the Region of the Americas celebrated the 16th Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) campaign with a soccer theme in honor of the 2018 World Cup. The campaign slogan “Strengthen your defense! #GetVax #VaccinesWork” linked strengthening defense on the soccer team with strengthening the body’s defense to vaccine-preventable diseases through vaccination.
Vaccination Week in the Americas was proposed by the health ministers of countries in the Andean region as part of a response to measles outbreak in Venezuela and Colombia in 2002. Since its official launch in 2003 more than 720 million people of all ages have been vaccinated against a wide range of diseases such as measles, rubella, yellow fever, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, and influenza.
By: The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter
May 9, 2024 – The FCCA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), has launched an annual scholarship in honor of former Prime Minister of Barbados, The Right Honorable Professor Owen Seymour Arthur, who played a significant role in advancing the cruise trade association’s vision.
The annual gift of US$25,000 will be awarded to a different Caribbean destination each year to support the work of either an educational institution or a nonprofit organization chosen by the destination.
Barbados will receive the inaugural Owen Arthur scholarship, and next year’s scholarship destination winner will be announced at the ‘Shining Stars FCCA Foundation Dinner’ during Seatrade Cruise Global 2025.
“I am honored that the Foundation can continue the legacy of The Right Honorable Professor Owen Seymour Arthur, who truly inspired my career and empowered so many throughout the Caribbean, as well as making it possible to have the current partnership between the cruise industry and the Caribbean,” said Michele Paige, CEO, FCCA. “Hopefully this scholarship can live up to his memory by providing a platform for future generations in the region.”
By: The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter
May 9, 2024 – The historic UN Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island States (SIDS) brought global attention to the significant challenges faced by small islands, underscoring that their concerns were big issues for all.
On April 26, several key figures who contributed to the 1994 Barbados meeting gathered in Bridgetown to commemorate its 30th
anniversary. The outcome of the 1994 meeting was the Barbados Program of Action, which delineated how the world community should address the unique vulnerabilities of islands, particularly in response to climate change.
Despite initial reluctance from powerful UN members to hold more than one SIDS conference, subsequent gatherings in Mauritius and Samoa and a fourth global conference scheduled for Antigua and Barbuda in May 2024 are a testament to some of the successes of the SIDS process.
In Antigua and Barbuda, the international community will convene to review the sustainable development progress of SIDS and propose a new decade of partnerships and solutions to accelerate their journey toward resilient prosperity.
The Barbados meeting last month provided a reflective journey for many, as attendees, including Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, paid tribute to the late Ambassador Miles Stoby of Guyana, the visionary behind the initiative and for whom Barbados was, fittingly, a second
Caption: Ambassador Lyutha al Mughairy (widow of Ambassador Miles Stoby) greets Garth Sandiford, son of late Barbados Prime Minister Erskine Sandiford. Looking on are Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and former UN Under-Secretary General Peter Hansen.
By: The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter
May 9, 2024 – The Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC), held April 22-24 at Radisson Grenada Beach Resort was a resounding success.
The conference is the Caribbean’s foremost event for high-level networking and dialogue on sustainable tourism, providing a crucial platform for tourism policymakers, private sector stakeholders, thought leaders, and strategic partners to address the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of Caribbean tourism.
The meeting highlighted the essential pillars necessary for creating a transformative and regenerative legacy under the theme “The 5 Ps for a Legacy of Caribbean Tourism Sustainability: People, Planet, Prosperity, Purpose & Partnership”.
Thought-provoking addresses from Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell and Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, set the stage for discussions about the future of Caribbean tourism.
PM Mitchell stressed the need to include a broader array of stakeholders in the tourism conversation, while Stewart highlighted the importance of partnerships and unity within the sector. The conference was marked by authentic displays of Grenadian culture and dynamic panel sessions.
Caption: Adam Stewart of Sandals Resorts International delivered the keynote address.
The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter
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