The Ministry of Health has named the members of a broad-based National COVID-19 Vaccines Task Force in preparation for the arrival and roll out of the inoculation campaign against COVID-19 in Guyana.
The 19-member Vaccines Task Force is headed by Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony and includes representatives from several departments in the Ministry of Health, the National COVID-19 Task Force, other government agencies, and the private sector.
In a press statement, the ministry yesterday reported Anthony as explaining that a deliberate decision was taken to appoint members who possess specific skill sets, as would be required for any national immunisation programme in general, but more importantly having regard to the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic in particular.
“The members are public service professionals who are familiar with immunisation programmes, cold storage operations and medical supply chains, as well as private sector representatives who have been have trained in vaccination campaigns and who understand the expectations, thereby representing a diverse blend of people who have the required expertise and commitment to this national effort in response to COVID-19,” he said.
The statement noted that the first meeting of the Task Force was held yesterday in the boardroom of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the members have agreed to convene every Friday to discuss the strategic implementation plan to monitor the roll-out of a safe, effective and efficient vaccination programme.
Anthony was also reported as saying that the Task Force has started drafting a training manual on how to administer the COVID-19 vaccine and that the procurement process for cold storage facilities and distribution have already begun.
“We want to ensure that we are prepared for the roll out of vaccines, and so they will be looking at our
preparedness and working on a vaccine preparedness and roll out plan, then of course, ensuring that all the sites where vaccines will be administered are ready,” he was quoted as saying. “They will have to ensure that all the elements regarding the use of vaccines will be in place. I would imagine that, from the Vaccines Task Force, we will have several sub-committees that would be carrying out specific tasks,” he added.
The Chair and members of the COVID-19 Vaccines Task Force are: 1. Minister of Health — Dr Frank Anthony (Chair); 2. Advisor to the Minister of Health — Dr Leslie Ramsammy; 3. Chief Medical Officer — Dr Narine Singh; 4. Director General of Regional Health Services — Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo; 5. Director of Primary Health Care Services — Dr Ertenisa Hamilton (Secretary); 6. Deputy Director of Regional Health Services — Dr Veronica Griffith; 7. Director of Surveillance Unit — Ms. Sasha Walrond; 8. Director of the Food & Drug Analyst Department — Dr Marlan Cole; 9. Officer in Charge of Health Communications — Ms. Shabana Shaw; 10. Team of Immunologists — services to be sourced externally when needed; 11. Representative from the Joint Services — Clifton Hicken; 12. Representative from the Guyana Revenue Authority –Lance Wills; 13. Representative from PAHO/WHO — Dr Luis Codina; 14. Representative from UNICEF — Irfan Akhtar; 15. Cold Chain Technician — John Ramotar; 16. Pharmacist — Dr Karishma Jeeboo; 17. Representative of the Private Health Sector — Dr Malika Mootoo; 18. Representative from the Attorney General’s Office — Joann Bond; and 19. Representative from the Ministry of Local Government —Prema Roopnarine.
