The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services in Dominica, in collaboration with PAHO, hosted a four‑day technical mission from May 5–8 to advance the development of National Integrated Surveillance Guidelines. These guidelines will form part of a forthcoming Digital Health Library and are intended to strengthen Dominica’s national public health surveillance system.
The guidelines aim to reinforce the surveillance process from data generation to analysis and use, ensuring timely detection, reporting, and response to public health events in line with the International Health Regulations (2005). The mission was facilitated by PAHO contractor Eden Augustus and involved key informant interviews with officials from multiple sectors, including tourism, education, ports, water and sewerage, gender, health promotion, and environmental health.
These discussions provided valuable insights into stakeholder roles, reporting mechanisms, communication channels, and intersectoral coordination. Senior Environmental Health Officer Kursha Augustine emphasized the importance of Port Health in surveillance and early detection, noting its relevance to emerging public health threats.
Development of the guidelines began in 2024 with contributions from various government entities, including the Ministry of Agriculture and the Primary Health Care Department. The process will continue with further technical support from PAHO in the coming months.
Similar support is being provided to other Eastern Caribbean countries, including Saint Lucia and Grenada, as part of regional efforts to strengthen surveillance systems and public health preparedness.
