CARPHA introduces initiative to protect regional healthcare workers

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has introduced an initiative to help regional countries develop systems to protect their communities and healthcare workers from outbreaks.

It says the initiative is geared at improving regulations and practices of laboratories in accordance with international best practices.

CARPHA says although some countries have parts of a national mechanism to monitor the spread of diseases, there is urgent need for oversight through updated national laboratory policies.

Biorisk manager at CARPHA Sacha Wallace-Sankarsingh says these policies should be created within a framework to prevent laboratories from being the cause of accidental or deliberate release of materials which can cause harm to their communities and the environment.

CARPHA last month hosted a workshop on the development of national frameworks for pathogen biosafety and biosecurity.

As part of its mandate, CARPHA has trained more than 500 regional laboratory professionals to use standardised operational practices to ensure safe and secure handling of samples from humans and animals.