Basseterre, Saint Kitts, 10 February 2020 (PAHO/WHO)—On Monday, February 10, 2020, Dr. Yitades Gebre, the newly appointed representative of PAHO/WHO to Barbados and Eastern Caribbean countries (PWR-ECC) presented his credentials to the Honourable Mark Brantley, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the capital Basseterre.
Dr. Gebre emphasized the goal for St Kitts and Nevis which is to ensure that every citizen and resident has access, affordable, and quality healthcare. He spoke briefly on the contribution that PAHO member states in the region have made with regard to universal health.
“In the last 50 years of the membership, what member states have done in PAHO is to advance the health agenda in the region. In this regard, our goal is to make sure that every person has access to health and well-being including access to essential medicines, addressing disease burdens that affect longevity, productivity, and quality of life … like NCDs, communicable diseases and health emergencies,” he said while referring to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal three (SDG 3), which speaks to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.
Another area discussed during the meeting with Minister Brantley was that of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. Dr. Gebre noted that PAHO’s primary goal is to limit human-to-human transmission and no sustained human transmission is taking place in our region, particularly in the Caribbean and so far there are no confirmed cases. He pledged that PAHO through the daily dissemination of updated information was supporting the Ministries of Health to provide information to the public to dispel myths and misinformation. In addition, Dr. Gebre assured that PAHO will continue to work with the Ministry of Health and other partners to ensure that their preparedness and responses are effective, appropriate, timely, and sustainable.
Minister Brantley welcomed Dr. Gebre to the Federation and recognized PAHO/WHO for collaborating closely with the region. Mr. Brantley highlighted the incidence of cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV), the Non-Communicable Disease epidemic, and the need to revitalize the health promotion messaging on HIV particularly to the youth population as some of the major challenges to the population of Nevis. He noted that there had been an excellent response by the men in Nevis to get tested for prostate cancer, but the pap smear screening was lagging behind and his long-term goal was to eliminate cervical cancer on the island.
It was agreed that the significant decline in the HIV infection rates and deaths has lulled the youth into complacency. Dr. Gebre in his response noted that the HIV health promotion communication messaging and the methodology of education needed to change to specifically target certain populations.
