Over 66 million vaccine doses to be administered during Vaccination Week in the Americas, including 2.7 million doses of measles-containing vaccine

Washington, DC, 24 April 2025 (PAHO) – As countries in the Americas confront outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and yellow fever, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, called for urgent action to address gaps in immunization coverage.

“Over the past five decades, vaccines have saved 154 million lives worldwide, reducing child mortality by 41% in the Americas alone”, the PAHO Director said during a press briefing held today ahead of Vaccination Week in the Americas— a flagship initiative led by PAHO, taking place from April 26 to May 3. However, “our progress against vaccine-preventable diseases needs a strong and lasting commitment to implement the appropriate public health measures.”

Worldwide, confirmed measles cases exceeded 359,000 in 2024. This, combined with gaps in vaccination coverage, have led to localized outbreaks across six countries in the Americas, with 2,313 reported cases so far this year —up from just 215 during the same period in 2024. Three deaths have been confirmed, and another is under investigation.

“Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world,” Dr. Barbosa said. “Yet countries have struggled to sustain the recommended 95% coverage of MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine, which leaves us susceptible to imported cases.”

Progress has been made in recent years. For the first time since 2019, MMR1 coverage increased in 2023, reaching 87% across the Americas. Despite this improvement, there remains a significant gap: 1.4 million children in the Region did not receive any dose of the MMR vaccine that year. Outbreaks have been observed in communities where just 3% to 7% of individuals were susceptible, highlighting the risk posed by even small pockets of low coverage.

During this year’s Vaccination Week in the Americas countries across the Region plan to administer an estimated 66.5 million doses of vaccines, including 2.7 million targeting measles. Now in its 23rd year, the initiative has so far enabled over 1.2 billion people to be vaccinated since its launch in 2003. Under the slogan “Your decision makes the difference. Immunization for all,” countries are mobilizing to reach those at highest risk of missing vaccines, especially children.

In 2025, the Region has also seen an uptick in yellow fever, with four countries reporting 189 cases so far, including 74 deaths, compared to 61 cases and 30 deaths reported during 2024.

To address these outbreaks, PAHO is working with countries to tackle vaccine hesitancy, strengthen routine immunization programs, and expand access to vaccination through the use of microplanning and digital tools such as electronic immunization registries and geographic information systems. These tools help monitor coverage, identify gaps, and “stop the virus in its tracks,” Dr. Barbosa said.

Dr. Barbosa also highlighted the importance of the PAHO Revolving Fund, a pooled procurement mechanism that allows countries in the Americas to access high-quality vaccines at affordable prices. “Without the Fund, countries would pay at least 75% more for the Region’s 13 most common vaccines,” he said.

While Vaccination Week in the Americas “remains a cornerstone of public health in the Region,” Dr. Barbosa emphasized that “immunization does not end with Vaccination Week.”

The Americas has a legacy of leadership in vaccination and disease elimination. The Region was the first to eliminate smallpox in 1974 and polio in 1994, and has also eliminated measles, rubella, congenital rubella syndrome, maternal and neonatal tetanus, and outbreaks of urban yellow fever.

Now, PAHO is supporting countries through its Disease Elimination Initiative, a bold effort to eliminate more than 30 diseases and related conditions by 2030, 11 of which are vaccine preventable.

In 2024, the Region successfully regained its status as free of endemic measles. While this status remains intact, recent outbreaks serve as a reminder of the ongoing risk and the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage to prevent the reestablishment of endemic transmission.

“The Region of the Americas is ours to protect,” Dr. Barbosa said. “By working together, throughout vaccination week and beyond, we can build a stronger, safer, and healthier Americas,” the PAHO Director concluded.

Vaccination Week in the Americas

Vaccination Week in the Americas is a regional initiative that aims to promote equity and access to vaccination in all countries of the Region of the Americas. The theme this year, “Your decision makes a difference. Immunization for all,” highlights the urgent need to prevent the spread of life-threatening diseases and keep each one of us, our families, and our communities, safe.

The Regional launch of the week will take place on Monday, 28 April, in Panama. National launches and initiatives will also be held throughout the Region.

By LINDSAY THOMPSON
Bahamas Information Services
 

NASSAU, The Bahamas – Making good on his administration’s pledge to have healthcare accessible in all communities, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis broke ground for the Coconut Grove Advanced Health Centre.

Despite rainy and windy conditions on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, the day was deemed a “big comeback” after Hurricane Matthew had derailed ongoing repairs to the Coconut Grove Clinic in 2016.

Prime Minister Davis delivered the keynote address for the Ground Breaking Ceremony at the site on Grasmerd Bend, Baillou Hill Road, just opposite the National Insurance Board.

“It’s good to be here. I know the weather might not look too good today, but believe me when I say that every day we draw closer to a brighter, healthier future for The Bahamas is a good day,” he said.  “Today is a comeback.  A big comeback.”

For nearly 45 years the old Coconut Grove Clinic provided essential maternal and child health services, general care and health education to all who passed through its doors.  But after it sustained damage from Hurricane Matthew, services were transferred to the nearby Baillou Hill Road and Fleming Street clinics.

The new facility will restore services to those residents in the surrounding areas of St. Barnabas, Englerston, and Bain and Grants Town.

The prime minister observed that the reality is that extreme weather events are threatening lives and the systems which preserve them.

“My administration was determined not to let this clinic – and many other clinics throughout our islands – fall through the cracks again. We are working, every day, across every island, to improve the lives of Bahamians,” he said.

Underscoring that health is an important component of his administration’s Blueprint for Change, the prime minister further noted that expanding health infrastructure, maximizing access to health services, and driving positive health outcomes are among the top priorities.

“In breaking ground on the Coconut Grove Advanced Health Care Centre, we are making progress on each of these fronts. Accessible healthcare will soon be at your doorstep,” he said.

The Coconut Grove Advanced Health Centre will be built to Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) certification, making it not just sustainable and handicap accessible, but climate resilient.  It will be a 14,500-square-foot facility built on the four-acre site at just over $10.5 million.  Construction is mobilized and is expected to be completed in approximately 15 months.

The Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister of Health and Wellness, said that the facility will serve as a community clinic providing primary and urgent care services, taking some of the strain off the Princess Margaret Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department.

“It is designed to reduce waiting time, improve access to care and give residents a welcoming environment that supports prevention, early detection, and long term wellness,” he said.

Professionals involved in the project include: project architect, Livingstone Forbes; structural and civil engineers, Island Dimensions Development Company; mechanical and electrical engineers, Chris Symonette and Associates; general contractor, A & M Construction Company Ltd.; and the ministry’s quantity surveyor Veritas Consultants Ltd.

(BIS Photos/Mark Ford)

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Tuesday, 15 April 2025: The Ministry of Health and Human Services is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of an official three-day visit to the Turks and Caicos Islands by a technical team from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Office in The Bahamas, held from 8 -10 April 2025.

The visiting delegation included:

• Dr. Eldonna Boisson, PAHO/WHO Representative for The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
• Dr. Anton Best, PAHO/WHO Advisor for Health Systems and Services.
• Dr. Sasha Peiris, PAHO/WHO Advisor for Communicable Diseases Control and Elimination.

During the visit, the team engaged in a series of high-level meetings with the Hon. Minister of Health and Human Services, the Acting Permanent Secretary of Health and Human Services, and senior officials from various departments and units within the Ministry of Health and Human Services. Meetings were convened in both Grand Turk and Providenciales. The delegation also visited Cockburn Town Medical Center, where they toured the facility, including the Primary Health and Dental Departments and interacted with staff.

The highlight of the visit was the recognition from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) of the Turks and Caicos Islands for its exceptional efforts in the surveillance, prevention, and control of respiratory viruses over the past ten years. The country was awarded for its collaboration with the Severe Acute Respiratory Infections Network (SARINET) and the REVELAC-1 network. This recognition highlights the islands’ leadership in early detection, prevention strategies, and effective outbreak control, underscoring the importance of global partnerships in addressing future health challenges.

The primary objectives of the visit were to:

• Identify and reach consensus on common strategic priorities and focus areas for PAHO’s Technical Cooperation in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
• Discuss the implementation, coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of key programme areas under the PAHO Biennial Work Plan 2024–2025.
• Align strategic objectives with one or more of the nine (9) targets under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages,” as well as other health-related SDG targets.
• Provide technical updates and support on ongoing health projects and programme initiatives, and those planned for the 2025/2026 financial year.

Speaking on the significance of the visit and the award, the Hon. Kyle Knowles Minister of Health and Human Services, stated:

“We are extremely pleased to welcome our partners from PAHO to the Turks and Caicos Islands. This visit reflects our shared commitment to strengthening our local health system and improving the well-being of our people. We are honoured to receive this award in recognition of our decades-long collaboration with PAHO, which has been instrumental in advancing key health initiatives across our islands. Through continued partnership, we remain committed to building a resilient, inclusive, and high-quality health system for all.”

This mission forms part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to foster strong partnerships with PAHO/WHO and other regional stakeholders. These partnerships continue to play a vital role in the development and execution of key health policies, strategies, and plans that aim to enhance the health and well-being of all residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

Header:  MOH team Grand Turk L-R (Ms. Crivanne Adams, Ms. Betty Ann Been, Ms. Leanne Sills, Dr Alicia Malcolm, Ms. Kendra Malcolm. Dr Astwood, Dr Camelia Clarke, Dr Eldonna Boisson, Mr. Andre Morgan, Dr Janice Baron, Mr. Lynrod Brooks, Dr Sasha Peiris, Dr Sasha Walrond, Dr Anton Best, Nurse Jackurlyn Sutton.

1st insert: Hon. Minister of Health and Human Services Kyle Knowles, Dr Eldonna Boisson

2nd insert: CMO Dr Astwood and PWR Dr Eldonna Boisson