By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

PUBLIC Health officials yesterday commissioned a newly constructed vaccine cold storage facility as a part of the country’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation.

Health Minister Dr Perry Gomez said the facility represents another milestone for The Bahamas as officials continue to strengthen the country’s overall health system.

According to Dr Gomez, the Christie administration has worked to ensure equitable health services and improve health facilities across The Bahamas.

“(This is) all an attempt to, what we call, strengthening our health infrastructure so that wherever you are in the Bahamas and seek healthcare, you would be going in to clinics that are renovated and new and furnished and equipped to deliver quality healthcare to you,” he stated.

The North Andros representative said the opening of the facility at the Flamingo Gardens Clinic allows the government to purchase and store a more significant amount of vaccines, and therefore allow them to expand their reach to a greater number of people inclusive of infants, children and adults.

“We use this occasion as an opportunity to also raise the awareness that our expanded programme on immunisation over the past 35 years has not only saved lives, but it has reduced and/or eliminated many of the infectious diseases that once caused blindness, deafness, meningitis, disabilities and death in our population.”

The Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have long mandated its member countries advance equity and improve access to vaccination to people of all ages.

Monday marked the start of the fourth annual celebration of World Immunization Week (WIW) - an effort led by the countries to meet the mandate.

WIW strengthens national immunisation programmes by reaching out to populations with little access to regular health services, such as those populations living in urban fringes, rural and border areas and in indigenous communities.

Since its start in 2003, more than 580 million people of all ages have been vaccinated under the framework of WIW.

Currently, health officials in The Bahamas are reporting a high success rate in their vaccination campaigns. Officials have suggested that vaccination efforts have been adopted and accepted by roughly 95 per cent of the country’s population.

The Department of Public Health now offers 17 distinct vaccines.

“The construction of this facility will help in insuring that our vaccines are stored at the appropriate temperatures, thereby maintaining its potency until it is given to the client or patient,” he added.

In July 2014, the Ministry of Health requested technical support from PAHO to conduct an overall assessment of the structural and functional capacities of the system, as well as to provide advice for the development of the new cold storage room for the country.

The government commenced construction on the facility in mid-2014 and to date, there has been no clarification on how much was spent on the project.