Tag: WHO

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NEWS & LIFE

WHO recommends Paxlovid COVID-19 drug , urges transparency around pricing

WHO, UNICEF declare end of polio outbreak in Philippines
WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that it strongly recommended use of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir, sold under the name Paxlovid, for mild and moderate COVID-19 patients at the highest risk of hospital admission.

WHO, in a statement from Geneva, said the oral antiretroviral drug was developed by Pfizer and is the best therapeutic choice for high-risk patients to date.

The UN health agency said a highly successful COVID-19 therapy should be made available to more people, calling for wider distribution and greater transparency surrounding its pricing.

It, however, noted that availability, lack of price transparency in bilateral deals made by the producer, and the need for prompt and accurate testing before administering it, were turning this life-saving medicine into a major challenge for low- and middle-income countries.

Paxlovid is strongly recommended for patients with non-severe COVID-19 who were at the highest risk of developing severe disease and hospitalisation, such as unvaccinated, older, or immunosuppressed persons.

The recommendation was based on new data from two randomised controlled trials involving more than 3,000 patients.

Risk of hospitalisation was reduced by 85 per cent and in a high-risk group, that means 84 fewer hospitalisations per 1,000 patients.

Use for patients at lower risk was not recommended as the benefits were found to be negligible.

One obstacle for low- and middle-income countries was that the medicine could only be administered while the disease was at its early stages, making prompt and accurate testing essential for successful outcomes.

“Improving access to early testing and diagnosis in primary health care settings will be key for the global rollout of this treatment,” WHO said.

The UN agency also feared that when it came to access, poorer countries “will again be pushed to the end of the queue”, as occurred with COVID-19 vaccines.

Furthermore, lack of transparency on the part of the originator was making it difficult for public health organisations to obtain an accurate picture of the medicine’s availability, as well as which countries were involved in bilateral deals and what they were paying.

Additionally, a licensing agreement between Pfizer and the UN-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) limited the number of countries that could benefit from generic production of the medicine.

Paxlovid would be included in the WHO prequalification list as of Friday, but generic products were not yet available from quality-assured sources.

Prequalification meant that WHO had assessed a medication and it met international standards, thus making it eligible for procurement by national health authorities.
ALSO READ:COVID-19: WHO records lowest deaths, urges world not to “lose sight
Several companies, many of which were covered by the licensing agreement, were in discussions with WHO Prequalification but might take some time to comply with international standards so that they could supply the medicine internationally.

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NEWS & LIFE

3.5m people in Western Pacific die each year due to climate crisis – WHO

Heart disease remains leading cause of death in past 20 years – WHO
WHO

Around 3.5 million people in the Western Pacific die each year as a result of environmental causes, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) data released on Thursday.

In a virtual news conference, Takeshi Kasai, WHO regional director for the Western Pacific said that extreme weather events such as droughts, heatwaves, typhoons, floods, and wildfires affected people’s health in various parts of the region.

According to the WHO data, every 14 seconds, a person dies from air pollution in the Western Pacific.

The WHO also warned that rising sea levels and increasing tropical storms reduced access to freshwater, degrade beaches and reefs, and threaten the lives and livelihoods of the people in the Pacific islands.

Increases in vector-borne diseases like dengue and malaria, food and safe drinking water insecurity, land degradation, and extreme weather events would further strain these health systems and disproportionately impact the most vulnerable.

“Today, pollution and plastics are found at the bottom of our deepest oceans and the highest mountains and have made their way into our food chain.’’

The WHO said this in a statement entitled “Health and the environment.’’

“It is very clear, the time to act is now,’’ Kasai said.
ALSO READ:WHO calls for quality care for women, newborns in critical first weeks
He warned that if we did not take action today, “we are risking our health in the future.’’

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HEADLINES NEWS & LIFE

Large percentage of world population breathes polluted air-WHO

WHO publishes recommendation on maximum salt levels in foods
WHO

The UN medical scientists have claimed that a large percentage of the world population breathes polluted air.

They said on Monday that fossil fuels are responsible for most of the harmful emissions that are linked to acute and chronic sickness.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has, therefore, called for tangible steps to check the use of fossil fuels.

The UN agency also advised governments to make significant revisions to their air quality indicators.

“It has been recognised that air pollution has an impact at a much lower level than previously thought.”

“With all the new evidence that has come up over the last 15 years since the last WHO air quality guideline update, most of the values of the guidelines levels have been reduced”, Dr Sophie Gumy, Technical Officer at WHO’s Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, observed.

The agency’s data indicates that 4.2 million people die from exposure to outdoor air pollution, in addition to the 3.8 million people whose deaths are linked to household smoke produced by dirty stoves and fuels.

The UN health agency insists that momentum has been growing for better air quality everywhere in the last decade.

“Proof of this is the fact that more than 6,000 cities in 117 countries now monitor air quality, compared to 1,100 cities in 91 countries a decade ago”, it observes.

According to it, achieving cleaner air is also one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and an increasing number of UN agencies have passed resolutions, urging member states to address the health impacts of smog-filled air.

Welcoming the increasing number of cities that have begun to measure air quality for the first time, Dr Maria Neira, Director, WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, said that it was particularly significant that data was also being gathered on nitrogen dioxide.

Released ahead of World Health Day on April 7, the 2022 update of the WHO’s air quality database includes for the first time ground measurements of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter with diameters equal or smaller than 10 microns (PM10) or 2.5 microns (PM2.5).

Both groups of pollutants originate mainly from human activities related to fossil fuel combustion.

The new air quality database is the most extensive yet in its coverage of air pollution exposure on the ground, WHO says.
ALSO READ:WHO calls for quality care for women, newborns in critical first weeks
It says further that some 2,000 more cities/human settlements now record ground monitoring data for particulate matter, PM10 and/or PM2.5, than the last update, making an almost six-fold rise in reporting since the database was inaugurated in 2011.

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NEWS & LIFE

WHO calls for quality care for women, newborns in critical first weeks

Heart disease remains leading cause of death in past 20 years – WHO
WHO

World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched its first global guidelines to help women and newborns
during postnatal period, which lasts six weeks after birth.

The guidelines are in a statement released on Wednesday, where the world body described the first six weeks as critical time for ensuring newborn and maternal survival, supporting the baby’s healthy development and the mother’s overall mental and physical recovery.

It stated that more than one in every 10 women and babies worldwide do not currently receive postnatal care in the first days after birth, a time when majority of maternal and infant deaths occur.

According to WHO, the physical and emotional consequences of childbirth from injuries to recurring pain and trauma can be debilitating if left untreated.

The WHO guidelines, which recommended breastfeeding counselling to aid attachment and to support parents in providing responsive care for their newborns, include
high quality care in health facilities for women and babies for at least 24 hours after birth, with a minimum of three additional postnatal checkups in the first six weeks.

It stated that “these additional contacts should include home visits if feasible, so that the health worker can support the transition to care in the home.

“In the case of a home birth, the first postnatal contact should occur as early as possible, and notl ater than 24 hours after birth, while steps are taken to identify and respond to danger signs needing urgent medical attention in either the woman or the baby.”

Other guidelines are; treatment, support and advice to aid recovery and manage common problems that women can experience after childbirth, such as perineal pain and breast engorgement.

Some others are screening of newborns for eye abnormalities and hearing impairment, as well as vaccination at birth, as well as support to help families interact and respond to babies’ signals, providing them with close contact, warmth and comfort.

“Exclusive breastfeeding, counselling, access to postnatal contraception and health promotion, including for physical activity, encouragement of partner involvement, by being part of checkups, for instance, as well as providing support to the woman and attending to the newborn are also crucial,” the world body noted.

The statement quoted Dr Anshu Banerjee, the WHO Director of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, as saying “the need for quality maternity and newborn care does not stop once a baby is born.

“Indeed, the birth of a baby is a life-changing moment, one that is bound by love, hope and excitement, but it can also cause unprecedented stress and anxiety.

“Parents need strong healthcare and support systems, especially women, whose needs are too often neglected when the baby comes.”

Banerjee said that in addition to addressing immediate health concerns, the first weeks after birth are crucial for building relationships and establishing behaviours that affect long-term infant development and health.

Dr Mercedes Bonet, the Medical Officer with WHO’s Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research and UN Special Programme, said evidence showed that women and their families required positive postnatal experience.

Bonet said the experience would address the emotional challenges that occur after the birth of babies, while building parents’ confidence.

She said “dedicated postnatal services should provide vital physical and mental health support, while helping caregivers in providing the right care for
their newborns.”

She added that the recommendations complete a trilogy of guidelines from WHO for quality maternity care through pregnancy and during and after childbirth.
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These, she said, would uphold the rights to positive healthcare experience where people were treated with dignity and respect and participate actively in healthcare decisions.

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Featured NEWS & LIFE PHENOMENAL LAGOS

Be more sensitive to food, drinks Nigerians consume, Heart Foundation begs Govts

The Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF) has urged governments to be more sensitive to food and drinks Nigerians consume to stem the spate of cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria.

The Executive Director of NHF, Dr Kingsley Akinroye, made the call at a briefing ahead of the foundation’s forthcoming “National Summit on Food, Drinks and Cardiovascular Health in Nigeria: Science, Evidence, Manufacturer and Consumer Advocacy” on Thursday in Lagos.

The summit is slated for March 15 at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

“Food and drink make us what we are and so, our governments need to be sensitive to the food and drinks Nigerians consume,” he said.

According to Akinroye, the burden and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases are due to inappropriate food and drink consumptions in Nigeria.

“There is no doubt people are catching heart diseases everyday- hypertension, heart attacks, kidney failure, brain diseases, stroke and others.

“Non-Communicable Diseases are a rising cause of morbidity and mortality in the country.

“In Nigeria, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 38.1 per cent (76.2 million) Nigerians are living with hypertension which poses the highest cardiovascular health burden.

“Studies show that since the onset of COVID 19 in Nigeria, people living with Cardiovascular health problems amongst other Non-Communicable Diseases have been significantly affected and died from COVID 19.

“Globally, statistics show that cardiovascular health problems pose a high burden on health systems, an increasing trend that can be controlled by making healthy food choices,” Akinroye said.

The executive director of NHF said that if the government had developed and equipped primary healthcare system across the federation, the need for building Teaching Hospitals would reduce.

Akinroye said that the summit was in recognition of the rising prevalence of cardiovascular disease in Nigeria and the importance of prevention strategies through promotion of healthy diets.

He said that it was also to further the endorsement of the World Health Assembly of the Non-Communicable Diseases Action Plan 2020 – 2030 and recommended promotion of healthy diets by member states, International Partners and Non- Governmental Organisations.

According to him, the objectives of the summit include, awareness on the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria, looking at current data on national and global trends of the impact of food and drinks.

He added that the summit was also to identify intervention measures which could be instituted or are in place as well as to ascertain the roles of the different stakeholders/sectors.

Akinroye said that the summit would proffer solutions to curb the scourge of the adverse effect on the cardiovascular health of Nigerians.

The NHF boss said that the summit would bring together stakeholders from government, international organisations, civil society organisations, private sector, the academia, researches, consumers and manufacturers.

This is with one overriding goal to join hands to create awareness on the importance of food choices on health.

He said that NHF would also bring stakeholders in the field of food, drinks, manufacturing and consumer advocacy together to deliberate and to look at how the health of Nigerians could be improved by making the right choices of what we eat and drink.

“The summit will help advise all stakeholders and all policy makers at the three arms of government on the acceptable best practice to curb the increased health and socio-economic burden caused by dietary choices,” he said.

In her remarks, Mrs Dolapo Coker, Vice Chairman, Technical Committee on the Summit and former President, Nigerians Institute of Food Science and Technology, said: “The science of food is the science of survival.

“Food is primary healthcare. It boosts immunity and has all the nutrients that we need for healthy living.”

Commenting, Dr Enitan Ademuson, Director of Programmes, NHF, said that there would be exhibition of healthy heart products from various partners of the foundation at the summit.

Also speaking, Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Director, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), who was represented by Mr Lekan Edunjobi, said thatthe issue of labelling was critical to MAN to safeguard what people consumed.

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Featured NEWS & LIFE

WHO marks 2 years of declaring COVID-19 pandemic

Heart disease remains leading cause of death in past 20 years – WHO
WHO

World Health Organisation (WHO) says almost 500 million people have been infected with the coronavirus since March 2020 and new variants are still a threat as it marks two years of declaring COVID-19 a pandemic.

On Friday marks two years since WHO characterised the global spread of COVID-19 as a pandemic.

The UN health agency’s assessment was made six weeks after the virus was declared a global health emergency when there were fewer than 100 cases and no deaths outside China.

Two years later, more than six million people have died.

“Although reported cases and deaths are declining globally, and several countries have lifted restrictions, the pandemic is far from over – and it will not be over anywhere until it’s over everywhere,” WHO Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Ghebreyesus reminded the world that many countries in Asia and the Pacific are currently facing surges of cases and deaths.

“The virus continues to evolve, and we continue to face major obstacles in distributing vaccines, tests and treatments everywhere they are needed,” he said.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement on Wednesday supporting the WHO chief’s assessment, that it would be ‘a grave mistake’ to think the virus was now in the rear-view mirror.

Guterres reiterated that the distribution of vaccines remains “scandalously unequal”.

“Manufacturers are producing 1.5 billion doses per month, but nearly three billion people are still waiting for their first shot”, he highlighted.

The UN chief blamed this “failure” on policy and budgetary decisions that prioritise the health of people in wealthy countries, over the health of people in poor countries.

“This is a moral indictment of our world. It is also a recipe for more variants, more lockdowns and more sorrow and sacrifice in every country. Our world cannot afford a two-tier recovery from COVID-19”, he said.

Guterres added that in spite of the numerous other global crises, the world must reach the goal of vaccinating 70 per cent of people in all countries by the middle of this year.

“Science and solidarity have proven to be an unbeatable combination. We must re-dedicate ourselves to ending this pandemic for all people and all countries, and closing this sad chapter in humanity’s history, once and for all,” he said.

The WHO’s chief also expressed his concern over the ‘drastic reduction’ of testing in several countries.

“This inhibits our ability to see where the virus is, how it’s spreading and how it’s evolving,” he warned

Meanwhile, COVID-19 Technical lead, Maria Kerkhove, said that the agency was aware of a ‘recombinant strain’ in Europe.

“It’s a combination of Delta AY.4 and Omicron BA.1 It has been detected in France, Netherlands and Denmark but there are very low levels of this detection”, she said, calling for more testing and sequencing all over the world.

Kerkhove explained that the recombinant was expected given the high circulation of both Omicron and Delta.

“With the emergence of Omicron, in some countries, the wave of Delta had already passed so circulation was at a low level, but in other countries, in Europe for example, Delta was still circulating on a high level when Omicron emerged,” she said.

The expert explained that so far, scientists have not seen any change in the severity of COVID-19 with this strain, but that studies are still underway.

“Unfortunately, we do expect to see recombinants because this is what viruses do, they change over time. We are seeing intense levels or circulation; we see this virus impacts animals with the possibility of affecting humans again,” she warned.

Kerkhove called on countries to reinforce their surveillance and sequencing systems instead of “taking them apart to move on to the next challenge”.

She also reiterated her call for the use of a layered approach to public health tools.

“The pandemic is far from over, not only do we need to focus on saving people’s lives, we also have to focus on reducing the spread. We cannot allow this virus to spread at such an intense level,” she said

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FEATURED STORIES NEWS & LIFE

WHO says 9 killed in 16 attacks on Ukraine medical facilities

The World Health Organization has confirmed at least nine people had died in 16 attacks on health care facilities in Ukraine since the start of a Russian invasion on Feb. 24.

“As of March 7, WHO has verified 16 attacks on health care in Ukraine.

“These attacks took place between Feb. 24 and March 3, more reported incidents are currently in the process of being verified,” the WHO said on Twitter.

It added that the attacks on medical infrastructure led to at least nine casualties, with another 16 people injured and seven of them are medical personnel.

On Saturday, the WHO condemned the attacks on medical facilities in Ukraine and stressed that many people in Ukraine are in dire need of health services.

It urges the sides to the conflict to protect the safety of health care in the country.

Russia launched its special operation in Ukraine last Thursday in response to calls from the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics that Ukrainian armed forces intensified their aggression.

The Russian defense ministry said the special operation was targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only, stressing that the civilian population was not in danger.

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FEATURED STORIES NEWS & LIFE

Russia-Ukraine conflict could increase numbers of severe COVID-19 disease – WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict was likely to drive COVID-19 transmission higher.

It said in turn it would increase the risk of large numbers of people developing severe disease.

“WHO is deeply concerned about the unfolding humanitarian emergency in Ukraine.

“Prior to the conflict, Ukraine had experienced a recent surge of cases of COVID-19.

“Low rates of testing since the start of the conflict mean there is likely to be significant undetected transmission.

“Coupled with low vaccination coverage, this increases the risk of large numbers of people developing severe disease,” said WHO Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu, at a press conference.

He added that critical shortages of oxygen would have an impact on the ability to treat patients with COVID-19 and many other conditions.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as of Tuesday, more than 870,000 people had left Ukraine and that number is expected to increase rapidly, the WHO chief said.

“Mass population movements are likely to contribute further to transmission of COVID-19, potentially increasing pressure on health systems in neighboring countries,” he said.

Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, warned that mass population movements as a result of the conflict could possibly not only drive COVID-19 transmission higher but also favour the emergence of new variant of the COVID-19 virus.

WHO is delivering essential medical supplies from the hub in Dubai.

The first shipment will arrive in Poland on Thursday, including 36 metric tonnes of supplies for trauma care and emergency surgery to meet the needs of 1,000 patients and other health supplies to meet the needs of 150,000 people.

However, it hopes to establish a corridor to ensure humanitarian workers and supplies have safe and continuous access to reach people in need.

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FEATURED STORIES NEWS & LIFE

Ukraine: Oxygen shortage scares WHO

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that shortage of oxygen in Ukraine could put lives in danger and undermine the support of UN efforts in the country.

On day seven of the Ukraine crisis, UN-led efforts to ramp up support to the country’s embattled health workers have continued, with the first shipment of lifesaving supplies due to arrive in neighbouring Poland in the coming hours.

Initial concerns about a lack of medicines to treat chronic conditions such as diabetes, gave way on Wednesday to an alert from the WHO that “people will die” if they do not get oxygen and other supplies for urgent emergency care.

“Some of us have been in this game a long time and we’ve developed very thick skins, but when you see nurses mechanically ventilating infants in basements of hospitals, even the toughest of us, we struggle to watch that.

“And those heroes that are there, (they’re) mainly women in those basements who are taking care of those kids,” Dr Mike Ryan, head of WHO’s Emergencies Programme said.

At a press conference in Geneva, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO, added that 36 tonnes of materials for trauma care and emergency surgery were on their way from a WHO hub in Dubai – enough to meet the needs of 1,000 patients.

Additional health supplies will also be available for another 150,000 people, Ghebreyesus added, and the UN agency is also hoping to deliver oxygen from neighbouring countries to where it’s needed.

Prior to the conflict, the UN health agency distributed emergency supplies to 23 hospitals in Ukraine, but WHO director-general cautioned that prepositioned materials in Kyiv were “currently inaccessible”.

According to him, at least three major oxygen plants in Ukraine have now closed.

“There is an urgent need to establish a corridor to ensure humanitarian workers and supplies have safe and continuous access to reach people in need,” WHO chief emphasised.

He also expressed serious concern at “several” unconfirmed attacks on hospitals and health infrastructure since the Russian offensive began last Thursday.

“Attacks on healthcare are in violation of international humanitarian law,” he said, before underscoring the “sanctity and neutrality” of health care, health workers, patients, supplies, transport, and facilities.

“The right to safe access to care, must be respected and protected,” he said.

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NEWS & LIFE

COVID killed 34,000 persons in North America last week – WHO

North America recorded more than 34,000 COVID-19-related deaths last week, according to the World Health Organisation.

It said COVID -19 infections and deaths in the region continue to rise, as hospitalisations increase throughout the whole continent, the head of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Regional Office said on Wednesday.

In the crucial area of vaccination, although the Americas now have some of the highest COVID-19 vaccination coverage rates on the planet, it is also “the most unequal region in the world” when it comes to shots, according to Dr Carissa Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).

Last week, there were seven million new COVID cases and more than 34,000 COVID-related deaths”, she told the regular weekly media briefing.

`However, the rise in infections seems to be slowing down in places hit earliest by the Omicron variant”.

North America recorded more than four million new infections, accounting for most of the latest cases, as surges continue across Central and South America, where Chile and Brazil have posted record numbers of daily cases.

Moreover, deaths have risen for the fourth consecutive week in all sub-regions, showing a nearly 33 per cent growth over the previous week.

In the Caribbean, deaths have more than doubled in Cuba, the Bahamas, and Antigua and Barbuda, while other islands such as Martinique and Guadeloupe are seeing COVID spread rapidly among young and unvaccinated people.

“These trends show that we must continue to sustain every part of our COVID response.

“Vaccinations, testing, and continuing public health measures like mask wearing and social distancing remain crucial, ” ” said Etienne.

Crediting the hard-fought efforts of countries throughout the Americas and generous support of donors, she said that 63 per cent of people across Latin America and the Caribbean have now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19..

However, while the region has some of the world’s highest COVID-19 vaccination coverage, Etienne pointed out that “despite our progress”, vaccination remains highly uneven across Latin America and the Caribbean.

It is “a worrisome sign” that more than one in four people across the Americas “have yet to receive a single dose of protection,” she said.

While 14 states and territories have fully immunised 70 per cent of their populations, the same number has yet to protect even 40 per cent of theirs.

And more than 54 per cent of people in low and middle-income countries have yet to receive a single COVID-19 vaccine.

“We also have serious blind spots because we can’t see detailed vaccination data”, she continued, encouraging countries to collect and report data coverage by age, sex and by risk group, where possible.

“Without these numbers, we won’t know what proportion of high-risk groups, like the elderly, pregnant women, or health workers, have been protected”.

As data is crucial to designing targeted vaccination campaigns, maximising the impact of vaccine doses, and saving live, without it, there are some worrisome gaps.

Fortunately, with donations totalling some 26 million doses, vaccine supplies are expected to pick up this year.

PAHO’s Revolving Fund, which has delivered almost 100 million doses is on track to obtain 200 million vaccines in 2022, thanks to the Fund’s agreements with manufacturers.

Due to a rapid scale up in purchases, donations, and COVAX deliveries, countries will have enough stock to implement mass rollouts and offer vaccines to those as yet unprotected.

As the doses arrive, countries are urged to collect and report stratified vaccine data; re-analyze the data to better understand gaps; prioritise high-risk groups; and refocus efforts to protect health workers, immune-compromised individuals and the elderly.

“If they don’t, they will continue to experience outbreaks, their hospitals will remain overstretched, limiting care for other conditions, and too many people will continue to die from this virus,” the top PAHO official warned.

“Healthy children and adolescents should be the last to receive COVID-19 vaccine doses since they’re at lowest risk for severe disease,” said Etienne, encouraging schools to remain open to “protect the wellbeing of our children”.

“Childhood vaccination is not a prerequisite for safe school reopening,” she pointed out.

PAHO also underscored the need for countries to invest in their vaccination programmes by bolstering their cold chain capacities; hiring and training health workers to deliver the vaccines; and developing plans to inoculate in hard-to-reach areas.

“Now is the time to strengthen vaccination campaigns, organise vaccination drives and empower key groups like health workers and religious leaders to become vaccine advocates,” PAHO chief said.

Emphasizing that COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and the best way to protect everyone from the coronavirus, Etienne sent a special message to the millions of unvaccinated adults in the Caribbean:

“I am a medical doctor, wife, mother and grandmother. I couldn’t wait to get my vaccination; I was so anxious for myself and my 95-year-old mother. I can’t begin to tell you the relief I felt when I, my mother, my husband, and my children were vaccinated, because I trust in science and appreciate life”.

Although we cannot get back the time we’ve lost to this pandemic, we can control how the future will go.

“So, please don’t delay, get vaccinated today,” she stressed.