Outstanding debts owed to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for two years have been serviced.
The Government of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell took the decision to settle unpaid claims of 2011 and 2012 that were not paid.
The former Government’s inaction had severely disrupted Grenada’s Extended Program on Immunization (EPI), which is one of the most preventative public health programs conducted by the Ministry of Health.
The goals of the EPI are: to ensure full immunisation of children under one year of age in every district, to globally eradicate poliomyelitis, to reduce maternal and neonatal tetanus to an incidence rate of less than one case per 1,000 births.
The program further aims to cut in half the number of measles-related deaths that occurred in 1999, and to extend all new vaccine and preventive health interventions to children in all districts in Grenada.
Earlier this week the Ministry of Finance wired US$62,865.30 to the public-health agency.
Health Minister Dr. Clarice Modeste-Curwen noted the following, “In other words, we are taking care of a backlog left for us. Also, it is important to note the crucial role that vaccines play in preventing infectious diseases such as measles, mumps, polio, and tetanus”.
Government believes that the servicing of those debts is a demonstration of its commitment towards the improvement of healthcare for the benefit of all citizens. As a result of the payment several important vaccines are expected to arrive in the country shortly.
Health officials say the availability of these important vaccines is critical to the prevention of diseases outbreak in the country and as such ensuring a regular supply is of utmost importance.
