Bridgetown, Barbados, 5 April, 2023 (PAHO/WHO) – To meet its vaccine-preventable disease surveillance targets and better identify and vaccinate migrant populations and zero dose and under-vaccinated children, health workers in the Turks and Caicos islands recently participated in a two-day training session, led by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
During the mission, Dr Karen Broome, Advisor, Immunization at PAHO, visited health facilities and conducted a two-day refresher training on immunization. The workshop was attended by 28 participants including doctors, nurses, and infection control officers from health facilities in the public and private sectors of Turks and Caicos. There were presentations on cold chain management, vaccine-preventable disease and surveillance, Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) management and data management. Participants discussed how to improve surveillance and identify and vaccinate migrant populations, as well as zero-dose and under-vaccinated children.
Since 2011, Turks and Caicos has not been achieving its vaccine-preventable disease surveillance targets and has not reported suspected cases of measles or rubella (rash and fever). The country has reported only one case of suspected poliomyelitis (acute flaccid paralysis) in the last 20 years.
The National Immunization Program in the Turks and Caicos Islands experienced a significant decrease in DTP3, Polio3 and MMR2 in 2020. These declines were recovered in 2021 with DPT3 increasing to 92% and Polio3 attaining 99% coverage. MMR1 coverage declined significantly in 2021 to 86% after maintaining an applaudable 95% in 2020. MMR2 coverage has experienced a slow decline from 86% in 2019 to 80% in 2021. The country last achieved the 95% percent coverage target for Polio3 in 2021 and for MMR1 in 2020.
