The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Government of Canada announced on October 18, 2023 the launch of a joint initiative aimed at helping Haiti expand vaccination against preventable life-threatening diseases, including polio, measles, diphtheria and tetanus.

This partnership, which is part of Canada's Global Vaccine Equity Initiative (CanGIVE), will inject approximately 4.4 million US dollars into the Haitian health system in order to strengthen vaccination activities in the country. the whole country. This contribution was announced by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the first Canada-Caribbean Community (CARICOM) summit.

“Our national immunization programs have suffered serious setbacks over the last decade,” PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa said recently. “We have witnessed decreases in vaccination coverage rates, inadequate sustainable financing for immunizations, and increasing vaccine hesitancy linked in part to misinformation."

The risk of epidemics in Haiti is aggravated by a precarious security situation which has recently pushed thousands of people to take refuge in improvised shelters and which hampers the proper functioning of health establishments, with several hospitals and clinics having difficulty providing essential health services.

Through CanGIVE, PAHO and Canada will work together to help Haiti vaccinate its population against diseases included in the regional immunization program, such as polio, rubella, congenital rubella syndrome, measles, diphtheria and neonatal tetanus.

CanGIVE will work to reach marginalized communities in Haiti, including people living in severe urban and rural poverty. The program will support gender-responsive vaccination operations that meet the needs of women and girls, who are often also marginalized.

In addition, the CanGIVE collaboration will support communications efforts to build vaccine confidence among the general population and increase vaccine uptake in the country.

HL/ HaitiLibre