In a press conference released at 7:40 pm by CARICOM leaders a ten point plan has been formatted to prevent and tackle the Ebola virus threat.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar ,other Caricom Leaders and foreign Ministers have been locked in talks for the past two hours at the Diplomat Centre in St. Anns, over the threatening Ebola virus that has killed over four thousand in Western Africa. Seventeen Member nations came together to share a common unity to combat the deadly virus, and to take seriously the three cases that have been recorded in the US. Combating the Ebola virus takes a collaborative effort by sharing information hence the reason for the CARICOM meeting. The meeting is focused on one key “prevention is better than cure”. It is mandated under the CARICOM treaty that countries must agree, share resources and decide as a collective body as what could be done to combat the virus.
The heads of CARICOM have agreed to:
To strengthen effective and coordinated measures in ports of entry to prevent Ebola to enter the region by harmonizing restrictions.
To strengthen health systems including equipment, laboratories and containment, enlists the participation of airlines in the regions in transporting specimens and transport teams. Mobilize efforts to stop Ebola there and here where businesses here and abroad communicate.
To establish a regional coordinating mechanism fund Ebola with CARFA as its chair including OECS and CARICOM Secretariats, and Cuba will also be invited to participate.
The meeting mandated CARFA to collaborate with international heads to enhance and resource plans.
The meeting also recognized the important role that Cuba could play in the resource of a reliable partner locally and regionally.
There must be a well-coordinated and continuous educational campaign targeting the citizenry.
The Governments also mandated the Caricom Secretariat and PAWHO to establish a Caribbean mosquito week in education and insect vector control in order to contain the spread of the Chikungunya virus that is also a threat to the Caricom region.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said that the coordinating of these strengths in the ten point plan is vital to the region. She gave her assurance of this plan to stop the Ebola virus there and here.
