CASTRIES, St. Lucia – The CDERA Coordinator, Jeremy Collymore said, “the … flu outbreak has presented an opportunity for the Caribbean region to review its plans and procedures for pandemic.
The CDERA Participating States are presently at varying stages in the process of reviewing their pandemic plans and related resources. These include contingencies for strengthening surveillance mechanisms as may be required.”
This hazard (pandemic) was the focus of a communications and table top exercise conducted recently as part of the Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias (FA HUM) exercise coordinated in the Caribbean by CDERA and funded by the United States Southern Command (US SOUTHCOM). The exercise was pursued in the context of the Caribbean’s overall disaster risk management strategy – Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) which considers all hazards.
“This timely intervention has been instrumental in heightening the level of awareness and sensitization for a hazard (pandemic) not traditionally common in the Caribbean,” Collymore said. CDERA will continue to monitor the North American Influenza situation as the region remains in an increased readiness mode.
