In light of the growing Ebola fears, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) has called on participating states to give serious consideration to the utilisation of their National Influenza Pandemic Plans to prepare for the virus.
The CDEMA participating states are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands and the Virgin Islands.
The CDEMA said countries should review and strengthen plans, incorporating best practices and international standards for preparedness and mitigation where appropriate.
Participating states should also develop the necessary protocols and guidelines, grounded in international best practices, to protect all ports of entry from potential threat of infection.
According to the International Health Regulations (2005), countries are advised to develop protocols which strengthen public health capacities at all designated ports of entry (airports, sea ports and ground crossings) when responding to events that constitute a public health emergency or international concern.
“Protocols and guidelines should be subject to rigorous and frequent testing to ensure that the states are empowered and prepared to respond in the event of threats of the virus to their ports of entry,” the CDEMA said.
National Disaster Offices are encouraged to continue to support the health sector and other stakeholders with regard to the testing of these mechanisms for adequacy and effectiveness.
“Participating states are also encouraged to develop robust public awareness and communications campaigns which provide accurate, timely and relevant information on the Ebola virus outbreak, symptoms and precautionary measures to reduce risk of exposure. Messages and distribution channels should be appropriate for each target group, with special consideration given to high risk groups such as healthcare providers and vulnerable groups such as the disabled and the elderly.”
CDEMA noted that special emphasis should also be placed on operational communication among stakeholders. Effective coordination of operational communication will ensure that decision-makers within participating states are aware of new developments, enabling them to make informed decisions with regard to policy and critical actions to be undertaken to preserve, promote and protect the health of locals and visitors.
Given the potential of the virus to affect cross-border areas; operational communication should take into consideration inter-country communications.
The CDEMA will continue to monitor the regional situation and provide updates as appropriate. The agency stands ready to provide assistance to its participating states where necessary.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the outbreak of the Ebola virus as ongoing in Western Africa; with Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea being the most seriously affected.
To date, there have been over 8000 cases reported with over 4000 deaths. Recent cases of the virus being contracted in Spain and the United States of America have also been reported.
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