Dominica observing Vaccination Week 2018 in the face of declining coverage in parts of the country

​As Dominica observes Vaccination Week 2018, Ag PS in the Ministry of Health Letitia Lestrade-Wyke says although there has been a positive culture surrounding vaccination in Dominica, declining coverage in some parts of the country has been linked to the unwillingness or hesitancy of a few persons to be vaccinated for various reasons.
 
This was worsened she says in the aftermath of hurricane Maria when the country lost all the vaccines which were in stock. In her address to mark Immunization Week 2018, Wyke says consequently there was a decline in the coverage since there was no vaccines available on the island. However, the Ministry of Health & Social Services with the assistance of PAHO, has replaced the lost vaccines and the children have begun receiving their required doses of vaccines.

Ag PS in the Ministry of Health Letitia Lestrade-Wyke
 
Meantime the Ministry of Health is calling on Dominicans to make health a priority as they do not know what could befall them during the rest of the active part of the year. Senior community health nurse with responsibility for Immunization Florestine Lewis is calling on parents to ensure their children and themselves are vaccinated before travelling, so as to protect against some of the diseases that can be transmitted from human to human and from others that are airborne. Her call comes as part of activities to observe Vaccination week 2018 under the theme "Strengthening your defence, get vaccinated, vaccine works."

She says a series of activities have been planned locally in observance of Vaccination week 2018, among them a football match this weekend in Stockfarm.

​Senior community health nurse responsible for Immunization, Florestine Lewis