Tobago Health Programme to be revived

Dr Lisa Indar, director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), paid a courtesy visit on Wednesday to Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Protection Dr Faith BYisrael, assistant secretary Sonny Craig and Secretary of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities & Transportation Tashia Burris.

They met at the division’s Head Office, Habib Building, Wilson Road, to discuss the revival of the Tourism and Health Programme (THP) in Tobago.

In a statement on Friday, the division said the THP was launched in Tobago in 2016 and since then, training sessions had been done on different aspects of the programme such as the tourism health information system, advanced food safety and covid19 prevention and control guidelines.

The division said additional training sessions will be held in the upcoming weeks/months, providing the necessary groundwork to integrate the THP into Tobago’s tourism and health strategies.

It added more information on the integration of the THP in Tobago will be publicised subsequently.

The THP addresses the health, safety and environmental (HSE) threats to tourism. Its aim is to strengthen the capacity of countries to prepare and respond to public health threats, enhance the health and safety of visitors and locals and improve the quality, competitiveness and resilience of Caribbean tourism.

The THP is being executed by CARPHA in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA).

Key components of the THP include:

Tourism and Health Information System (THiS) – A web-based, early warning and response monitoring and response system to confidentially capture travellers’ illnesses in real time, with a built-in alert system to trigger a rapid and coordinated response, to reduce illness spread, economic and reputational negative impact.

Caribbean Vessel Surveillance System (CVSS) - An electronic system created to enhance the monitoring and response to gastroenteritis and other syndromes, covid19 and other public health illnesses on cruise ships and other vessels. Real-time alerts are sent to countries if illness thresholds are reached /past before the ship arrives to a country.

Caribbean Travellers Health App - A multi-faceted, novel, Caribbean traveller’s health information repository designed for travellers and health and tourism stakeholders. It provides travel health information by each Caribbean destination (including vaccinations, health care facilities, and accommodation listing).

Caribbean Traveller’s Health Assurance Stamp for Healthier Safer Tourism (HST) - A measurable and verifiable travellers health assurance and recognition award for tourism entities implementing the recommended proactive covid19 health monitoring and safety measures (training, THS, standards). Facilities awarded the HST stamp are listed as preferred healthier and safer options on the Caribbean Traveller's Health Mobile App and CARPHA, CTO and CHTA websites.