PAHO Director acknowledges Dominica’s primary healthcare approach in dealing with COVID-19; cautions against premature relaxation of restrictions

Dr. Carissa Etienne, Director of PAHO

Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Carissa Etienne said Dominica has used its longstanding primary healthcare approach to help to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 “We know that countries that depend on tourism cannot remain closed indefinitely,” she said. But as they reopen, they must use all the resources available to reduce risk for their population.”

She said, however, there are also encouraging signs in the data which prove that countries have the tools to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to save lives.

According to Dr. Etienne, one of the most effective strategies is contact tracing.

“Dominica used its longstanding primary healthcare approach and its well established first level of care to promote and support public health measures, ensuring aggressive contact tracing, quarantine, case identification and isolation,” she noted.

The PAHO Director also stated that over the past 6 weeks, the number of reported new COVID-19 infections has more than doubled.

“Data trending in that direction typically signals an urgent need to implement public health measures to slow the spread of COVID-19,” She stated and mentioned such measures as social distancing and limits on public gatherings.

Yet, Dr. Etienne believes that over that same period, the very opposite has happened and pointed to countries have gradually relaxed restrictions, resumed commerce and are gearing up to head back to school.

She said in far too many places there seems to be a real disconnect between the policies that are being implemented.

“This is not a good sign,” Dr. Etienne remarked. “Wishing the virus away will not work; it will only lead to more cases as we have seen over this past 6 weeks.”

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3 Comments

  1. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    August 27, 2020

    Carissa are you sure you are a medical doctor?
    From what medical institution did you obtained your medical degree?

    How long has COVID-19 been around; before you answer my question, be reminded that COVID-19 was discovered in 2019, we are in the year 2020; so, whereas this is a newly discovered disease, for which there are no vaccine as of this moment.

    There are no known prescribe medication meaning there are no establish treatment for COVID-19; I wonder how can someone who claims to be a medical doctor make such an ridiculous, ignorant statement; about a disease that you don’t know anything about!

    How many patients infected with COVID-19 have you treated; by the same token have you placed a specimen of the virus in a petri dish examined it under a microscope studied it’s effects.

    What sort of reagent you used in conducting your experiment; which brought you to your conclusion.

    “Dominica has used its longstanding primary healthcare to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      August 28, 2020

      Dominicans like to talk crap when they are endowed with a title; but we have to be very careful when we open our mouth. Because we have the title of doctor, don’t mean we cannot spew fart! 
      Education belong  to whosoever, wants it; so let me teach you something Carissa.

      The adjective longstanding simply means, existing or continued for a long time “a long standing tradition, or something long establish.

      There is nothing long establish in medicine in Dominica used to treat COVID-19!

      What are the different types of primary care?

      Primary care is a type of health care that is used to provide regular care and prevention of illnesses!

      Health care cover a broad range of health services that deal with general medical care; such as:

      Family care, obstetrics and gynecology, and internal medicine are the three general types of this form of health care.

       Some of us out here been there done that even if we did not graduate; we know when quacks talking bull crap!

  2. de Observer
    August 27, 2020

    Martinique and Guadeloupe have saved so many lives of “Dominica(ns) used its longstanding primary healthcare approach and its well established first level of care to promote and support public health measures,…..”

    Where is she from yo? Dominica!!! “Its well established first level of care.” Wah de joke dat? Nah she cannot be serious. Did she get an honorary degree and not a real medical doctor? Wah de joke dat? Wah nonsense is dat nah?

    Oh Lord help these weak people who do not have a real backbone to speak on the authority of their academic accomplishments.

    You mean a real doctor would talk so glowingly about the health system where a man went in with a hand problem, and he ended up in Martinique? And there are many more cases like the woman who went to make a child and died in the hallway because of lack of care? Dat (doctar) should apologize to Dominicans for saying such nonsense.

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