The Minister of National Security, Honourable Trevor McMillan and Minister of Health and Environment, Honourable Rudyard Spencer will bring remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the Caribbean Community Pandemic Influenza Workshop being hosted by the University of the West Indies, Mona on January 20, 2009 at 5 pm at The Ruins, UWI, Mona. The Workshop which is scheduled for January 21-22, 2009 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel is designed to corroborate with interagency and intergovernmental agencies that will be involved in the management of an influenza pandemic crisis across the region. The occasion will focus on the Caribbean Community sustaining power, sewer, food, water, medical supplies, and other critical infrastructure, through an influenza pandemic crisis, and address prevention strategies and economic recovery.

The workshop will include plenary sessions and several facilitated breakout sessions to discuss prevention measures during an influenza pandemic, impacts on critical infrastructure and maintaining fuel and food resources to ensure trade continues, as well as sustainment of health care facilities and economic recovery plans following a pandemic. Pandemic influenza management is a national emergency governmental response that requires the integration of all agencies and is not solely a medical management concern.  Participants will include personnel from all the CARICOM countries and the United States.

The workshop is targeted to engineers supporting critical infrastructure such as power, sewer and water, public health personnel in health care management and emergency management personnel.

For further information please contact Dr. Hilton McDavid via e-mail at hilton.mcdavid@uwimona.edu.jm or 977-3775 or 702-2099.