L-R (Marlon Teelucksingh, Public Health Education Officer - Port of Spain City Corporation, Dr Gabriel Vivas Francesconi, PAHO/WHO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago and the Dutch Caribbean Islands, Victoria Allum, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Spain City Corporation, Dr Stephen Nurse-Findlay, Advisor, Communicable Disease Control and Elimination - PAHO/WHO TTO
Port-of-Spain, 5 December 2024 (PAHO) – In a significant move to bolster public health education on dengue, the Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Trinidad and Tobago Country Office donated over 8,000 printed communication materials to the Port of Spain City Corporation. The handover ceremony, held on Thursday 5 December, was led by Dr Gabriel Vivas Francesconi, PAHO/WHO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba. The materials were presented to Ms. Victoria Allum, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Spain City Corporation.
The collection of educational resources included flyers, brochures, posters, and guideline documents, which were developed by PAHO/WHO and the Ministry of Health and printed with the support of PAHO/WHO. The materials were designed to inform and educate the public about the prevention and management of dengue. Materials on Hansen's disease were also included. These materials will be distributed across various public locations, with the aim of reaching a broad audience and enhancing community awareness.
At the handover ceremony, Ms Allum expressed gratitude for the support. In response, Dr Vivas reiterated PAHO/WHO’s readiness to continue its partnership with the Corporation to achieve shared goals in public health and community welfare. These resources will help to empower communities with the knowledge they need to prevent and manage the dengue disease effectively.
Also present at the ceremony were Dr Stephen Nurse-Findlay, Advisor, Communicable Disease Control and Elimination, PAHO/WHO Trinidad and Tobago Office as well as Marlon Teelucksingh, Public Health Education Officer and Dr. Safiya Cummings, both of the Port of Spain City Corporation.
This handover follows on the previous provision of digital communication materials to the Corporation, and printed materials to the Ministry of Health for distribution to the Regional Health Authorities, reinforcing the PAHO/WHO’s continued commitment to providing accessible health information to the public.
