Healthcare workers in Saint Lucia recently took part in training to help them spot and report vaccine-preventable diseases earlier. This was part of the events for Vaccination Week of the Americas 2026.
The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition held a Disease Surveillance Training session at the Ministry of Infrastructure conference room, bringing together healthcare professionals from different areas. This training is part of ongoing work to help Saint Lucia quickly identify and respond to public health threats.
The training focused on syndromic surveillance, which involves monitoring patient symptoms to detect outbreaks early. Participants also learned about new ways to collect, analyse, and share surveillance data, making reports easier to access for both healthcare workers and the public.
Medical Surveillance Officer Dr Dana DaCosta Gomez explained the main goals of the training and stressed how important it is for frontline workers to have the right skills. She said the training aims “to strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers to accurately recognise and categorise symptoms into standard syndromes for early detection of communicable diseases.”
Gomez also said the training will “improve the timely and accurate reporting through the HMIS” and strengthen important connections between surveillance systems and the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI). She highlighted the vital role of healthcare workers, saying, “As frontline healthcare workers, you are the first line of contact with the public, of course, and you provide us with the information that we need.”
Emphasising the value of accurate reporting, she added, “The information you provide is not just data, it is the foundation upon which public health decisions are made.”
Regional partners continue to play an important role in this effort. Fiona Anthony, PAHO Country Programme Specialist to Saint Lucia, confirmed the organisation’s commitment to helping strengthen national health systems. She said, “PAHO will continue supporting the country and the Ministry of Health with surveillance, rapid outbreak response, communication, and community engagement to counter misinformation.”
Anthony also pointed to ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare capacity and ensure equitable vaccine access, noting that support will include “capacity building of our health care providers, and equitable vaccine access through its revolving fund.”
Highlighting the nationwide scope of the initiative, she explained that “the surveillance training is being held in both the north and the south of the island this week,” describing it as a clear indication of the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening surveillance systems.
She added that by preparing healthcare teams better, Saint Lucia will be able to respond more effectively to public health threats, such as “vaccine-preventable diseases, including influenza and COVID-19”.
The Ministry expects this training to make both surveillance and immunisation programmes stronger, helping to protect people in Saint Lucia from vaccine-preventable diseases.
