Dr Merle Lewis, the new PAHO (Pan American Health Organisation) Representative forBarbadosand theEastern Caribbean, on Monday April 2, presented her credentials to Governor Alistair Harrison.
Dr Lewis said that she is very happy to be inAnguillafor two days and noted that the credentials were signed by Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Director of PAHO. She said that theUKwill vote on behalf of theOverseasTerritoriesto choose a new director of PAHO. Whilst inAnguillashe also met with senior officials in the Ministry of Health. She noted that PAHO helps countries to achieve their health goals and gives them support particularly technical support. It also helps them to strengthen their ability to respond to epidemics.
Governor Harrison welcomed Dr Lewis’ accreditation saying that he looks forward to a long relationship. He pointed out thatAnguilla’s membership of PAHO is very important and that disease and health problems know no boundaries, so international cooperation is very important.
Minister of Social Development, Edison Baird, thanked Dr Lewis for coming toAnguillaand for the substantial assistance that PAHO gives to the island.
Dr Bonnie Richardson Lake said thatAnguillawill be needing assistance with respect to compliance with International Health Regulations. And she disclosed thatAnguillais planning to establish a cancer registry and hopes PAHO will assist. She mentioned that during the course of this week a PAHO representative will look atAnguilla’s position with regard to HIV, and another person will be advising on non-communicable diseases, especially diabetes.
Dr Lewis is a health professional with thirty years of service in public health inTrinidad and Tobago, her native country, as well as in the wider WHO region of Latin America and theCaribbean. She assumed her duties as the PAHO and WHO Representative for theEastern Caribbeanon August 10 2011. Prior to this appointment she served as the Representative of PAHO and WHO to theBahamasandTurks and Caicos Islands.
She said that there are 38 member states with PAHO offices which have technical advisers. There are also Country Programme Specialists (CPS), responsible for one or more countries, who work directly with the health officials. Katrina Smith, the CPS for Anguilla, British Virgin Islands andMontserrat.
Dr. Lewis stressed the need for PAHO and health officials in each country to be up to date with laws, to be prepared to deal with health issues and to be responsive, as in the twenty first century diseases can spread quickly with people travelling worldwide.
