Public health expert and former head of the Pan Amercian Health Organization (PAHO), Dominican, Dr. Carissa Etienne, has died. She passed away in the United States on Friday due to a heart attack, Dominica News Online has learnt. A giant in health care, Dr. Etienne was known internationally and her death has sent shock waves across Dominica.
Health minister, Cassani Laville, told state-owned DBS Radio on Friday morning that her passing was “profoundly sad.”
“It is sad, profoundly sad to receive the news this morning, very early, the passing of Dr, Carissa Etienne,” he said.
“We have certainly lost a champion.”
Family Friend, Ackroyd Birmingham, said on Friday morning that although Dr. Etienne had back surgery earlier this year when he saw her on Thursday evening, she had “a glow.”
“Yesterday she went to the doctor and the doctor gave her a good bill of health and we passed there last night and she had a glow,” he said on local radio station, Q95.
“Imagine she told my wife that she was back and comfortable. She was happy, her face was looking great and we even planned a little get-together for her for this coming Saturday, my wife had planned it.”
According to Birmingham in the early hours of Friday, she went to the bathroom, accompanied by her husband and in washing her hands, she started to fall but was assisted by her spouse.
“She has a sister, who is a nurse from England, who was there with her and the sister gave her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, called the ambulance and they took her,” he stated.
“At that time we know it wasn’t that good. They took her to the hospital and about an hour afterward, she passed.”
Birmingham, who said he had known Dr Eitiennes since she was 12 and who broke down during his interview with Q95, said her death is a shock to her family and friends, especially to him and his wife since they saw Dr. Etienne on Thursday night.
“She was really feeling good last night,” he remarked.
Dr. Carissa F. Etienne was 71 at the time of her passing. She recently retired after 10 years at the helm of PAHO and was declared Director-Emeritus on September 30, 2022. From 2008-2012, she served as Assistant Director-General for Health Systems and Services at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. Before that, she served as Assistant Director of PAHO from 2003-2008, where she led five technical areas: Health Systems and Services; Technology, Health Care and Research; Health Surveillance and Disease Management; Family and Community Health; and Sustainable Development and Environmental Health.
She received her medical degree [Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery – MBBS] from the University of the West Indies, Jamaica, and her Master of Science Degree [MSc] in Community Health in developing countries from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London.
She began her career here in Dominica as a medical doctor at the then Princess Margaret Hospital (now the Dominica China Friendship Hospital), eventually becoming Chief Medical Officer. She also served in many high-level posts including including Coordinator of the National AIDS Program, Disaster Coordinator for the Ministry of Health, Chair of the National Advisory Council for HIV/AIDS, and Director of Primary Health Care Services.
Under her leadership, PAHO supported Member States in coping with major epidemics, including Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever, as well as disasters ranging from hurricanes and catastrophic flooding to earthquakes and droughts. Dr. Etienne was always a champion of quality health service for everyone. In her acceptance speech when she was elected for the second time as head of PAHO in 2017, she cited her “commitment to deliver to all of our peoples, from all walks of society, a long and productive life, with quality care into our senior years; access to quality health services without fear of impoverishment; access to medicines and vaccines that we can afford, including effective antibiotics; freedom from preventable diseases, with reduced exposure to disease vectors.”
According to PAHO, she championed the achievement of Universal Health as an overarching goal for the Americas, based on the primary health care approach.
“This included developing strategies, policies, and plans to expand access to comprehensive care, particularly for vulnerable populations and in underserved and rural areas, strengthening governance and stewardship in health, improved financing for health, and intersectoral action to address the social determinants of health,” the organization said. The second half of her tenure as the head of PAHO was defined by the COVID-19 pandemic but the organization said her “leadership was crucial in enabling the region to prepare for and mitigate the worst effects of the pandemic.”
“Under her leadership, PAHO’s Revolving Fund for Access to Vaccines delivered over 151 million COVID-19 vaccines, contributing to the swift roll-out of this life-saving technology in the region,” it said.
Dr. Etienne spoke of her humble beginnings at the official unveiling of her portrait at the Embassy of Sweden in Washington D.C. in January, 2023.
“From a little girl in Massacre, Dominica, walking bare foot, going to school, being as every other child was. If that child can rise to become Director of PAHO, then there is hope for every child that walks the streets of the Americas. And if we keep that in our minds, we will do whatever it takes to ensure that child really develops,” she said.
Despite his pain, family friend Birmingham said he was happy that he was around Dr. Etienne during her final moment when she was taken to the hospital early Friday morning.
“You cannot want for anything more than that,” he said.
“I will forever remember that. My wife and I will surely remember …”
Dominica is a place where wonders never cease: There is someone who wrote that the late Carissa Etienne died from a classic; or massive heart attack!
And so; if I could face that person in a conversation, I would asks how did he/she determine or deduced his/her conclusion.
Note: a massive heart attack constitute a blockage in an artery preventing a large part of the heart from receiving oxygen: When such damage occurs it becomes difficult for the heart to pump oxygen-poor blood to the lungs!
Now unless that person who wrote what I believe is based on innuendos, I would imagine they must have conducted an autopsy in order to determine she died from a STEMI heart attack which is known as a classic, or indeed a massive heart attack.
Note: STEMI indicates St-elevation myocardial infraction.
This type of heart attack causes complete blockage in one of the coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart.
One can’t simply say someone died from a heart attack without an autopsy report!
I am so shocked to hear of the transitioning of Dr. Etienne! May you rest in peace, Dr. Etienne.
You were so instrumental in forming my work ethics during my late teen/early adult years as a student nurse. You also taught me kindness and humility that I will carry throughout my lifetime. I’m glad you knew the Lord as your personal savior.
Miss B, Willie, Kimani, Kwame and Kanica I am sorry for your profound loss. I pray for your comfort and strength to carry on. I wish you God’s blessings.
Sleep with your Angels Cuz
Condolences to the rest of the family.
Fr. Your Cousins The Moreau’s of Pottersville.
May May May Everyone is saying “ May she rest in eternal peace and this and that; the same thing a priest e would say at “last sacrament.”
Why don’t we make preparations for our soul to have the hope and confidence through the Holy Spirit? Pride is the main obstacle for keeping people from securing their soul in Jesus. The Bible says after death comes the judgment; and every man shall be judged according to his deeds. Whether they be good or bad.
The Bible asked this question: “How shall you escape, if you neglect such great salvation.” Can you answer this question? There’s only one way to God; and that’s through Jesus Christ. There’s no other way. Your wish and my wish cannot change a person’s final destination after death.
The Dr. Was a nice person and we knew each other very well. Her mom was once my school teacher. My condolences go out to her sisters, friends and family. Give Jesus a chance in your life. He is our only hope. Don’t put it off any longer. Jesus loves you ,
We will miss you very much, Dr Etienne. Thank you for your dedication, your optimism, your work, laughter and love. Fly high; God Bless You.
Every time I see some news abut DR Etienne I have to read until the end tonight my heart is broken tonight I cant read to the end. We went to Massacre school the same time her mom was my teacher her dad and I was on the same Cricket Team playing for Massacre .We both live in Maryland but I have never seen her I wish I did before she pass .R.I.P DR
That Carib boy is a damn liar you know!
If she went to the doctor yesterday, that doctor gave her a clean bill of health and when you all “passed there last night she had a glow” died shortly thereafter; rather than talking bull, someone should suggest an autopsy, in order to find out if she died from natural causes, or foul play.
One should know cause of death; what if she died of something she did not know she had and succumb to it!
In any event death is inevitable, if she was 71 years old it might be her time to leave, God guarantee us three score and ten which equal seventy, so she lived a full life.
As for crooked Roosevelt, he has become an expert on splicing people’s pictures next to him making believe they were at some venue with him.
We saw try to deceive with the photos with the Arabs doctored, even have a Arab king sitting behind him, and that’s how dumb he is.
He thinks people can’t see!
May She Rest In Peace. Doctor Etienne left a legacy that most Dominicans should be proud of. My condolences go to her family and friends
How sad boy.
There seems to be a severe heart attack that killing top Dominicans in high places and we need to investigate the root cause of this disease. I mean Rosie was PM and he got a massive heart attack that killed hi a day after a long trip abroad. Pierro became PM and he too died with a massive heart attack ant that paved the way for Skerrit to become PM. Then the parlrep of Grandbay got a massive heart attack that killed him and his death paved the way for Skerrit to bring in Vince Henderson. Recently we know Skerrit wanted to replace Charles Savarin as president and the name of two women swirling around. Alex Boyd Knight and Dr Caressa Ettienne, before the job was given to the current president. Next Alix was found dead with a massive heart attack and today we work up with the very sad news of Dr Caressa Ettienne passing with a massive heart attack. Boy what’s happening in DA?
“I mean Rosie was PM and he got a massive heart attack that”(Another no name).
How do you know these people including Carissa Etienne died from some massive heart attack when you are not a damn medical doctor and does not know the definition of the words you write?
I can tell you for a fact, with a hundred percent accuracy, Rosie Douglas died from hypertension (high blood pressure), one the rarest of its kind, which caused his internal organs to rupture!
I am going to splash this in your face something you can’t understand: after a long invariable asymptomatic period, persistent hypertension develops into complicated hypertension in which target organ damage to the aorta and small arteries, heart, kidneys, retina, central nervous system! Relate that to Rosie.
Why are you people like that; spreading lies talking about things that you don’t damn well know about.
For the day my phone has been inundated with this crap about Carissa dying from some massive heart attack.
Copacetic another UWP Jacka.Always have to turn good things sour.She died in the mighty US of A.She did not die in Dominica,your hypocrite cursed,pathetic scumbag.Your comment is saying who you really are.
“Copacetic another UWP Jacka.Always have to turn good things sour.She died in the mighty US of A.She did not die in Dominica,” Lin Clown).
Who to believe; Clown or Laville who said all in the following: “Health minister, Cassani Laville, told state-owned DBS Radio on Friday morning that her passing was “profoundly sad.”
Family Friend, Ackroyd Birmingham, said on Friday morning that although Dr. Etienne had back surgery earlier this year when he saw her on Thursday evening, she had “a glow.”
“Yesterday she went to the doctor and the doctor gave her a good bill of health and we passed there last night and she had a glow,” he said on local radio station, Q95.
“Imagine she told my wife that she was back and comfortable. She was happy, her face was looking great and we even planned a little get-together for her for this coming Saturday, my wife had planned it.”
That Dominica idiot Clown said she died in the United States!
Something is wrong!
Aericans die also fool!
I am sad,very very sad.Condolences to her family.May the good Dr.soul rest in peace.
my condolences to the family rest in peace 🙏
My sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Dr. Etienne who was a service provider to a number of my family members and many Dominicans in general.
I certainly cannot speak for Dr. Etienne; however, my intuition tells me that she would agree with my sentiment that as we approach 2024, the level of health care provision in Dominica leaves a lot to be desired.
RIP. Condolences to the family
Dominica has lost a very distinguished daughter and health champion. My deepest condolences to her family, friends, and associates. May God grant comfort at this difficult time.
Rest Easy Dr. Etienne!
Now that your service to humanity has come to an end, we should all take a page from your life story and utilize it to make a difference. Mrs. Bee and Mr. AJ raised you very well and those traits never left you. As a nation, we mourn your passing with great sadness and pray that god will welcome you into the kingdom he went to prepare for us. The people of Massacre (who loved and cherished you), Dca and the world by extension have lost a hero.
Condolences to family, friends and acquaintances. Again, Rest Easy until we meet again!
RIP Dr. Etienne. Memory of remembering you during my internship in Roseau health center in 1999.
She left big shoes to fill. She was pne of our brightest souls.
It is unfortunate she had to depart so soon.
RIP Dr. Etienne, my condolences to her immediate family and the entire family from Massacre to Grandbay and beyond. She will be missed.
This lady was a doctor and great at what she did
I remember going to her and I trusted her advice. When I went to the United States for school I was trying to explain my situation to a doctor and it took some doing to get the US doctor to acknowledge what I am saying and to get me the proper tests
In the United States the doctor just got this tick had me open mouth and I request tests done as I was at an internal medicine doctor who never touched me. I went on to get the tests and it is the same thing.
I had to almost wrestle with a US doctor to treat me while I just had to tell Dr Etienne what I was feeling
I really ce.to appreciate that she was great at she did. I was happy at her achievement as Dominican.
I will miss saying that and celebrating her as a Dominican female medical professional who did something for humanity on a global scale.
condolences to her family
Profound sympathy to the family and friends of Dr. Carissa Etienne. She has left plenty of memorable moments for all to cherish. May her soul rest in never-ending peace.
Wow. So sad. My condolences goes out to her family 🙏🏾🕊
Omg. She died just like Boyd Knight just months after both of them were in the air as potential replacements for Charles Savarin man?
May God strengthen her family during this difficult time and May her soul rest in peace