Health
TCI Lauded for Cholera Response
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, June 22, 2023 – Congratulations are in order for the Turks and Caicos over its handling of the now confirmed toxigenic strain of cholera in the country, Magnetic Media on Saturday June 17 spoke to Dr. Eldonna Boisson, the Pan American Health Organization representative for the Turks and Caicos and The Bahamas about the case.
“I really want to Congratulate the Turks and Caicos Islands because they had one case come in and they have not had spread it means they were able to detect it quickly, isolate and prevent the spread,” she said.
Boisson explained that the quick and complete response was part of a larger plan developed by the Caribbean and
“Before that case came in we would have at PAHO and the World Health Organization worked along with the UK and the Turks and Caicos and other Islands in the Caribbean to have them develop Cholera preparedness plans because we know there is a risk.”
The training had been sparked back in 2010 with the first outbreak of cholera in Haiti and was reworked for the current level of risk.
Boisson confirmed initial statements by Shaun Malcolm, Minister of Health indicating that there had been additional training and capacity building exercises to equip healthcare workers to deal with testing and other facets of the illness .
“There was a state of readiness– and Turks and Caicos and the others have pulled out those plans, dusted them off, done revisions, and had consultations with us, so they had a good plan.”
Boisson revealed along with the UK, PAHO had also stepped in to help the TCI with a Water Sanitation and Hygiene Assessment
While congratulating the country she urged the TCI government to use the detection of the highly contagious bacteria, as a learning experience to improve future response.