Roseau, Dominica, 29 April 2026 (PAHO) - The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services, with support from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), hosted a two‑day capacity‑building exercise for health care workers aimed at strengthening immunization service delivery and vaccine‑preventable disease control.
The activity held in commemoration of the 24th anniversary of Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) brought together more than 125 participants, including community physicians, nurses and public health aides from across the country. It followed the Ministry’s recently completed week of activities held from 13–17 April 2026 to inaugurate Primary Health Care Week, named in honour of Dr. Carissa Etienne, Director Emeritus of PAHO.
The training opened with remarks from Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Manager, Nurse Yvonette Anatol Carbon; Maternal and Child Health Coordinator, Nurse Magdalene Poponne Alexander; and virtual remarks from PAHO Advisor-Family and Life Course for Primary Health Care, Dr. Solange Kobi-Jackson, on behalf of PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries, Dr. Amalia Del Riego.
In addressing participants, Dr. Kobi-Jackson emphasized the importance of sustaining gains in vaccination coverage by remaining vigilant in immunization efforts. She noted that “diseases do not need visas; they cross borders freely. As long as vaccine coverage remains below the 95% threshold, Dominica remains at risk.”
The opening ceremony was followed by technical sessions focusing on Events Supposedly Attributable to Vaccination and Immunization (ESAVI), with emphasis on vaccine safety monitoring and response, as well as cold chain management, highlighting the importance of proper vaccine storage and handling. Participants also received updates on priority vaccine‑preventable diseases, including measles, influenza, and pneumococcal infections.
These updates are particularly relevant in the context of the re‑emergence of measles globally, with more than 250,000 cases reported in 2025. Speaking on the importance of continuous training, Nurse Anatol Carbon reminded participants that Vaccination Week in the Americas continues to serve as a key opportunity to educate, empower, and strengthen the immunization workforce, and mostly to catch up with the under or no-vaccinated children.
Additional activities held during the week included defaulter clinics and educational sessions across various health districts. PAHO also supported the installation of four billboards in strategic locations to promote the newly introduced hexavalent vaccine and other vaccines including the influenza vaccine, as well as the handover of the new Expanded Programme on Immunization manual.
