ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – The Dominica authorities Friday stated it was “saddened” on the demise of Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, whom it described as a “distinguished Dominican,’ who lately retired because the director of the Pan-American Well being Group (PAHO). She was 71 years outdated.
Dr. Etienne died at her residence in america of an obvious coronary heart failure, family stated. She had lately retired after ten years as PAHO director and was declared Director-Emeritus on September 30, 2022, on the thirtieth Pan American Sanitary Convention.
“From just a little woman in Bloodbath, Dominica, strolling barefoot, going to high school, being as each different little one was. If that little one can turn into director of PAHO, then there may be hope for each little one that walks the streets of the Americas (together with the Caribbean),” stated Dr. Etienne through the ceremony.
“Carissa was an expensive pal and colleague, and beneath her steadfast management and steering, PAHO achieved vital milestones for the area of the Americas whereas going through one among our best public well being challenges with COVID-19,” PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa stated.
“I’m very saddened by her passing, and my ideas are together with her household, buddies, and all of us at PAHO who cared deeply for her,” he added.
“We’ve got misplaced an important public well being champion. Dr. Etienne’s invaluable expertise will probably be sorely missed in international well being discussions to enhance folks’s lives and guarantee higher preparedness for international well being emergencies,” the PAHO Director stated.
The Dominica authorities stated Dr. Etienne “was a globally acknowledged public well being champion and advocate who introduced nice satisfaction and honor to Dominica.”
It stated she had ended her 10-year tenure as PAHO director on January 31, 2023, after having served as Assistant Director-Normal of the World Well being Group from 2008 –2013, Assistant Director of the Pan American Well being Group from 2003 – 2008, and Director of Main Well being Care Companies, Ministry of Well being, Dominica 1989 –2001.
” Beneath her steering as Director of Main Healthcare, Dominica achieved common protection for all major care applications, with immunization protection charges of 95 p.c; 90 p.c protection for prenatal care and deliveries by skilled delivery attendants; entry to steady take care of persistent non-communicable illness, country-wide group empowerment and participation; and well being schooling built-in into group care.”
Dr. Etienne had beforehand served as chief medical officer coordinator of the Nationwide
HIV/AIDS Programme, nationwide epidemiologist, and medical director on the then
Princess Margaret Hospital.
“On behalf of the folks of Dominica, the Authorities of Dominica extends honest condolences to the household of Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, an illustrious, well-loved
daughter of our nation. At this difficult second, we share your grief and pray to the Lord to grant you consolation and fortitude on this mourning interval.
” Might we at all times keep in mind and rejoice her excellent contributions and dedication to the administration of Dominica’s public well being sector and her management and strategic steering of well being methods within the Americas,” the assertion stated.
PAHO stated that in Dr. Etienne’s tenure, PAHO led the response to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic within the area of the Americas, in addition to efforts to manage Zika and chikungunya epidemics and cholera and yellow fever outbreaks in Haiti and Brazil, whereas considerably bettering the Group’s response to emergencies and disasters inside 48 hours.
“Beneath her management, the Americas eradicated the endemic transmission of measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome and made appreciable strides in stopping and controlling non-communicable illnesses. Legislative and regulatory mechanisms gained traction, as international locations enacted laws on labeling meals merchandise and launched taxes on sugar-sweetened drinks.”
PAHO stated advances had been additionally made in strengthening nationwide well being methods and advancing towards common well being.
It stated within the final 5 years of Dr. Etienne’s mandate, deliveries by expert delivery attendants elevated from 95 p.c to just about one hundred pc, “and, for the primary time, the Area of the Americas reached the advisable goal of 25 physicians and nurses per 10,000 folks”.
It stated that in her tenure at WHO and PAHO, Dr. Etienne directed efforts to resume and strengthen well being methods primarily based on major well being care. She has additionally spearheaded insurance policies for decreasing well being inequalities, growing people-centered care, and integrating well being into broader public insurance policies.
Dr. Etienne obtained her medical diploma (Bachelor of Drugs and Bachelor of Surgical procedure-MBBS) from the Mona campus of the College of the West Indies (UWI) in Jamaica and her Grasp of Science Diploma (MSc) in Group Well being in Creating International locations from the London College of Hygiene and Tropical Drugs, College of London.
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