Saint Lucia is stepping up its Ebola preparedness efforts as regional health authorities enhance screening measures at ports of entry and establish new laboratory testing capacity closer to home.
The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition said in a statement on Monday that the country is strengthening national surveillance and response systems amid the ongoing Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak affecting parts of Africa, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Among the latest measures is the reactivation of an enhanced travel history screening system across the Caribbean. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), working with CARICOM IMPACS, has resumed risk-based screening at ports of entry using the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS), which flags travellers arriving from or transiting through Ebola-affected areas.
Health officials said the system is designed to improve the early detection of potential travel-related cases while minimising disruption to travel and trade.
Saint Lucia is also reviewing and updating its national Ebola response plans in collaboration with hospitals and other health stakeholders. Authorities are compiling a comprehensive assessment of the country’s needs to support future procurement and emergency response efforts if required.
The ministry said training and sensitisation sessions have already been conducted for healthcare workers and representatives from the education, tourism and business sectors as part of broader preparedness activities.
Interventions are also underway at ports of entry to strengthen the identification, reporting and management of travellers who may have been exposed to Ebola or who have travelled from affected countries within the previous 21 days.
In another development, CARPHA’s Regional Referral Laboratory now has the capacity to test for Ebola viruses and has coordinated the transportation of suspected case specimens on behalf of member states.
The current outbreak is concentrated in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control have classified South Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, Zambia, the Central African Republic, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Angola, the Republic of Congo and Burundi as high-risk countries.
While CARPHA continues to assess the risk to the Caribbean as low, regional health officials have stressed that the possibility of travel-related importation remains, given the region’s extensive international travel connections.
The ministry said it continues to work closely with regional public health agencies on prevention, early detection and response planning and is developing a public communication strategy to provide residents with accurate information about Ebola and guidance on recognising symptoms and seeking care if necessary.
Officials said the ministry will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as the situation evolves.
