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CARPHA Continues to Support the Turks and Caicos Islands in Preventing Vector Borne Disease Outbreaks

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January 24, 2023 – As part of its ongoing activities to prevent and control vector borne diseases (VBDs) in the Region, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) visited the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) in December 2022. The CARPHA team met with Government officials and Vector Control Officers to assess achievements, while examining opportunities for capacity building. Data was collected over the three-day visit through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and site visits.

Outbreaks of Vector Borne Diseases like Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya can contribute to significant disease burden and financial loss. As such, comprehensive, sustainable and cost-effective prevention efforts are of utmost importance. Integrated Vector Management (IVM) is a rational decision-making process, for managing vector populations, that prevents and reduces the transmission of diseases. Consequently, monitoring and evaluation activities of IVM approaches, help to ensure that resources are strategically utilised for maximum impact.

CARPHA has had a longstanding relationship with TCI. Since 2016, TCI has been supported with entomology equipment, vector control needs assessments, as well as capacity building in vector surveillance, IVM and Insecticide Resistance Testing (IRT). The CARPHA team for this visit was comprised of Dr Horace Cox, Head Vector Borne Diseases and Ms. Maria Garcia-Joseph, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer. Dr Cox assured the TCI team that “We remain steadfast in our support to TCI with interventions that are tailored to the local context and informed by strong community engagement.”

CARPHA is in turn grateful for the support offered to the delegation during this visit and looks towards building on the fruitful collaboration. The Agency is committed to supporting Member States in their vector control efforts for a safer, healthier Caribbean. This monitoring and evaluation visit was funded by the European Union, under the Programme of Support for Health System Strengthening for Prevention and Control of Outbreaks of Zika and Other Mosquito-Borne Diseases in The Caribbean.

The Environmental Health and by extension the Ministry of Health and Human Services, is grateful for the ongoing technical support received from CARPHA in the area of vector borne disease as well as the many other technical areas that CARPHA has supported the TCI over the years.

 

Caption:

(From L-R) – Dr Horace Cox, Head Vector Borne Diseases, CARPHA; Ms. Maria Garcia-Joseph, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, CARPHA; Ms. Zatanya Hanfield Environmental Health Officer/ Vector Control Coordinator, Environmental Health Department, TCI and Mr. Deon Wilson, Vector Control Supervisor, Environmental Health Department, TCI.

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CARPHA Progresses to Eligibility for the First Disbursement of Pandemic Funding

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Following a landmark Public Signing Ceremony for the Pandemic Fund (PF) Technical Cooperation Agreement (“Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” [RG-T4387] Project) on December 14, 2023, in Trinidad, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to progress towards the start of implementation.

 CARPHA fulfilled the IDB’s nine conditions prior to first disbursement, achieving full eligibility on March 15, 2024, and is now eligible for the first disbursement. This milestone achievement in just 3 months after the signing speaks to the commitment of both CARPHA, the Executing Agency, and IDB, the Implementing Entity, toward the regional PF project with the objective of supporting the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) surveillance & early-warning systems (EWS), laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and in countries.

Since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement and as part of the conditions prior to first disbursement, CARPHA has achieved the following key outputs (i) the development of the PF Project Operations Manual, Multi-annual Execution Plan, Procurement Plan, Financial Plan, Procedure for CARPHA’s Financial Reporting System; (ii) vacancy announcements for two tranches of consultants with the subsequent hiring of five (Technical Coordinator, Financial Specialist, Procurement Specialist, Operations Officer and Project Operations Coordinator) and (iii) the establishment of the Project Execution Unit (PEU) and Project Execution Steering Committee (PESC). The dedicated PEU will be responsible for execution according to its planned timelines, which will be led by the Dr. Lisa Indar, the Project Director (CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division).

 CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean Cooperation in Health is mandated by its Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to support its 26 CARPHA Member States (CMS) in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional response to public health threats. The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks for coordinating its public health response work.

In July 2023, the PF Governing Board announced that CARPHA’s regional entity proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing. It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project. The three priority areas in the proposal are: (i) Comprehensive disease surveillance and EWS, (ii) Laboratory systems and (iii) Human resources and public health and community workforce capacity.

This project is expected to begin implementation in March 2024, starting off with a blended onboarding session. A Stakeholder Meeting with countries is tentatively planned for July 2024.

CARPHA remains dedicated to working together with the IDB, CARPHA Member States and the Pandemic Fund to successfully implement the regional proposal geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.

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Men who had Murdered Man, Marley Higgs’ cell phone face Court

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Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

The prosecution intends to try two young North Caicos men, both age 21 for the offense of possession of property of a murdered man, property that was stolen and landed in their possession.

The phone belonged to Peureton ‘Marley’ Higgs, who is believed to have been an innocent gunned down at his apartment complex in the Glass Shack area in a spray of bullets on February 2 that killed another man and wounded two others, including a ten-year-old little girl.

The cell phone was described as white in colour, an iPhone, in a hard black case. 

On Monday, March 18th, JEFFVANO HANDFIELD of North Caicos pleaded not guilty to the offense, and the matter was adjourned to April 2024. He was granted bail in the matter.

A second North Caicos man was charged similarly.  

SARENO CAPELLAN aka, Kino Williams is the second individual brought before the court pertaining to the said cellphone. He appeared in court a week after JEFFVANO HANDFIELD, the date being Monday March 25th 2024.

The case for the Crown is that both men sometime in February of this year possessed the cellphone knowing or suspecting it to be stolen property.

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Supreme Court Closed for Easter

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NOTICE is hereby given that the Easter Recess shall commence on Friday 29th April, 2024 and end on Friday 5th April, 2024. During the Easter Recess Judge Selochan will be available to deal only with matters that are urgent or require prompt attention.

Court Business During the Easter Recess

A person who wishes to have a matter heard during the recess must file a certificate of urgency along with an affidavit, which must set out the reasons why the matter is urgent or requires prompt attention. The matter will not be listed during the recess unless the Judge deems it fit for urgent hearing.

Opening Hours During the Easter Holiday

The Supreme Court’s last sitting day for the first term is Thursday 28th March, 2024. The Court will officially resume sittings on Monday 8th April, 2024. The Supreme Court Offices in both Grand Turk and Providenciales will continue to operate while the Court is not sitting during the recess.

The Court Office will be closed on the following public holidays:

  • Friday 29th March, 2024 (Good Friday) CLOSED
  • Monday 1st April, 2024 (Easter Monday) CLOSED

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