Georgetown, Guyana, 20 June 2025(PAHO/WHO)– The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health Guyana, held a two-day hybrid workshop from 12 to 13 June 2025 aimed at health care workers, to support the implementation of the seasonal influenza vaccination in Guyana.
The workshop was coordinated by Dr Janice Woolford, Specialist, Family and Community Health (PAHO Country Office in Guyana), in close collaboration with the assistance of the Special Program, Comprehensive Immunization (PAHO/CIM), Public Health Emergencies (PAHO/PHE), and the Global Task Force for Global Health.
Influenza vaccines were previously used in Guyana during the influenza pandemic A(H1N1) in 2009 in high-risk groups. The seasonal influenza vaccination will target the elderly, health workers, and other at-risk groups to prevent severe disease, and it will be administered annually.
The collaboration between PAHO and the Ministry of Health extends deeply, particularly in communicable diseases, with vaccination remaining a central intervention. The initiative being introduced is not merely a routine programmatic effort, but a comprehensive, data-informed response developed in close coordination with PAHO headquarters in Washington, D.C., and other regional partners.
Dr. Francisco Nogareda, PAHO regional focal point for influenza immunization, stressed the importance of having a seasonal influenza to reduce the burden of disease, to maintain health care system ready and operational and to strengthen pandemic preparedness: "having a strong seasonal influenza program in place contributes to better preparedness and response for future pandemics.”
Key topics discussed during the training included the review of the global and national epidemiology of influenza, priority target groups, types of seasonal vaccines, cold-chain and administration, Events Supposedly Attributed to Vaccination and Immunization (ESAVI), vaccination coverage, and monitoring and evaluation activities. There was also space to review the importance of risk communication pillars for influenza vaccination, acceptability studies, and how to manage misinformation related to vaccines.
Seasonal influenza vaccination campaigns are slated to be conducted in the latter quarter of 2025, when most cases occur in Guyana. The decision to launch this vaccination effort was evidence-based and rooted in years of surveillance and research. This is one of the key strategic pillars for influenza prevention and control, grounded in scientific understanding and public health priorities.
PAHO/WHO will continue to support the Ministry of Health in this implementation of the seasonal influenza vaccination, as part of the prevention and control of influenza in Guyana.
