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STATEMENT BY HON. EUGENE HAMILTON, MINISTER OF SOCIAL SECURITY, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 43RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE ST. CHRISTOPHER AND NEVIS SOCIAL SECURITY BOARD Fellow citizens, and residents, as Minister of Social Security, I am honoured to greet you on the occasion of the 43rd anniversary of the St Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board, observed today Monday 1st February 2021.It was Act No 13 of 1977, and all of its attendant and related Regulations, which provided the legal framework through which the policies and operations of the Board, give life to its mission, “to provide the best possible benefits to all eligible…

Vulnerable people already receiving vaccines and “millions” more doses are expected early next year. Urges hope but also patience and solidarity. Washington, D.C., December 16, 2020 (PAHO)— The COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020 “is undoubtedly the most extraordinary public health event of our lifetimes,” Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Dr. Carissa F. Etienne said today. “This pandemic stands out in both scale and impact. And it has put a spotlight on two of the longstanding challenges of our region: inequality and underinvestment of our health systems.” Since the start of this pandemic, less than a year ago, the Region…

Basseterre: St. Kitts, February 1January 21, 2021: ​ Technical review of theEnhanced Curriculum for Grades Four and Six continued on Friday January 29with a special focus on the new Health and Wellness Curriculum.Health and Wellness Coordinator at the Curriculum Development Unit (CDU)Michelle Sutton explained the objective of the day-long session in whichteachers from grades four and six participated. Ms. Sutton stated, “We had open discussions to ensure that teachers are awareof what is expected of them within the Health and Wellness Curriculum toensure that the students are receiving he necessary formative and summativeassessments within the curriculum” The Curriculum Development Unit…

27 Jan 2021 “The weight of this loss is incalculable,” PAHO Director says Washington, D.C., January 27, 2021 (PAHO)— “Today, we mark another tragic milestone in our region: over one million people in the Americas have now died from complications of COVID-19. We’ve lost more people to this virus than the entire population of many cities,” Pan American Health Organization Director Carissa F. Etienne said today. Speaking at a press briefing, she said “the weight of this loss is incalculable,” noting that over 44 million people in the Americas have now been infected with COVID-19, including more than two million…

‘If we remain diligent, we have the power to control this virus; if we relax, make no mistake: 2021 could well be far worse than 2020’ Washington, D.C., January 13, 2021 (PAHO)— The appearance of new variants of the COVID-19 virus in several countries of the Americas, combined with an acceleration in the virus’s spread in virtually every country in the Americas, makes it urgent to continue public health measures such as social distancing, wearing masks, and washing hands often, Pan American Health Organization Director Carisa F. Etienne said today. Our collective ability to keep up with these measures has…

AHO calls for intensified surveillance, outbreak investigation, and contact tracing. WASHINGTON, D.C., January 28, 2021 (PAHO) Three new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which are raising concerns about possible heightened spread and severity of COVID-19, have been detected in 14 countries in the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported in a new Epidemiological Update. “Mutations are an expected part of the spread of any virus,” said PAHO Incident Manager Sylvain Aldighieri. “That’s why we’re asking national and local authorities to continue to strengthen existing disease control activities, including monitoring COVID-19 closely. We need epidemiological surveillance, including expanding regional genomics…

Vaccines delivery schedules announced for countries participating in COVAX Washington, D.C., Jan. 31, 2021 (PAHO) — COVAX, a coalition led by WHO and Gavi to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, has notified countries in the Americas of the estimated dose allocation for the first phase of vaccine delivery in a letter to health authorities, the Pan American Health Organization reported today. Thirty-six of the countries and territories participating in COVAX received letters about the estimated number of doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that they could be receiving from the second half of February through the second quarter of 2021. The…

According to Mrs. Oureika Lennon-Petty, Planning Officer at NEMA, Mr. Valentine Lindsay has been appointed Chairman of the Housing and Shelter Sub-Committee of the National Disaster Plan, from January, 2021. Mr. Lindsay, who replaces outgoing Chairman, Mr. Gene Knight, was nominated for the position by Minister of Human Settlement et al, Hon. Eugene Hamilton. He begins his tenure leading a committee that is critical to the national disaster response mechanism in extremely trying times, but says that he is ready for the challenges faced by the Federation in the current COVID19 timelines, based upon his past experiences and present will…

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, February 01, 2021 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – The hugely popular Leadership Matters virtual forum series returns this Tuesday, February 02, at 8:00pm, when Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris will be joined by members of the National COVID-19 Taskforce. Appearingalongside the honourable prime minister will be the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hazel Laws; Medical Chief of Staff of the JNF General Hospital, Dr. Cameron Wilkinson and Chairman of the National COVID-19 Taskforce, Mr. Abdias Samuel. Tuesday’sprogramme – the first for the year 2021 – will give citizens and residents the opportunity…

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, February 1, 2021 (MMS-SKN) — The Moravian Church St. Kitts Conference on Friday evening January 29 held a special ‘appreciation and farewell’ service, which was an evening of songs, solos and spiritual expression dubbed ‘Our Tribute’, at the Zion Moravian Church in Basseterre, in honour of Reverend Hilton Joseph and his wife Sister Sharon McCardy-Joseph. Rev Hilton Joseph who is the Superintendent of the Moravian Church St. Kitts Conference and Pastor of the Zion and Bethel Pastorate, and who is originally from Antigua and Barbuda, has accepted a call to serve as the Pastor of the Spring…