Port of Spain, Trinidad, 26 July 2020 (PAHO/WHO) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, has expressed her gratitude to the Government of Canada for its contribution to PAHO's response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the region.
The contribution of USD$5.3 million will benefit a total of fifteen Caribbean countries including Trinidad and Tobago. Overall, the collaboration will support increased access to Personal Protective Equipment and other critical supplies to assist countries in their efforts to save lives and limit the human-to-human transmission of the COVID-19 Pandemic, focusing on populations experiencing marginalization or vulnerability, including health care workers.
The PAHO/WHO Trinidad and Tobago Country Office has outlined a plan of action for allocation of the funds inclusive of training for healthcare workers/officials and laboratory personnel, strengthening data collection and surveillance in the form of equipment and personnel, as well as implementation of risk communication plans, among other activities.
Canada’s contribution comes in addition to a previous allocation of 1.5M Canadian Dollars made to PAHO earlier this year to support the overall regional response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Funds have been utilized to procure laptops for the Ministry of Health, Trinidad and Tobago, to support the capacity for the collection, processing and analysis of COVID-19-related clinical and epidemiological data. The remaining funds are earmarked for training in Critical Care Nursing with the University of the West Indies, and for medical equipment and supplies for isolation facilities.
