Bahamas Receives 1,400 doses of Monkeypox Vaccine

By LINDSAY THOMPSON

Bahamas Information Services

NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Bahamas received its first tranche of Monkeypox Vaccine, a total of 1,400 doses in country on Monday, October 17, 2022.

The vaccines arrived at Lynden Pindling International Airport onboard a British Airways flight.

On hand for the arrival were the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister of Health and Wellness; Dr. Eldonna Boisson, Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organization Country Representative, The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands; Dr. Cherita Moxey, Acting Chief Medical Officer; Dr. Gina Archer, Chief Pharmacist, Ministry of Health and Wellness; and Nurse Ruth Bastian, Expanded Programme on Immunization Coordinator.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has been in talks with PAHO about acquiring these vaccines since early summer.

Dr. Michael Darville said particular groups will be targeted to receive the vaccine, and that the rollout will begin shortly.

“Our teams will be responsible to administering to the high risk groups and individuals that may have been exposed,” he said. “When we talk about high risk groups, we’re talking about people who might have potentially been exposed, we have the MSM groups in the community, we also have other groups that we believe are at high risk,” he added.

Dr. Boisson further explained that it is not like COVID-19 virus where everyone needs to be vaccinated; “it is basically the groups that are at high risk.”

Photo Caption: Ministry of Health and Wellness and PAHO/WHO officials met the arrival of Monkeypox Vaccine, October 17, 2022 at LPIA.

(BIS Photos/Kristaan Ingraham)