By Sue-Ann Wayow
TRINIDAD and Tobago has to do an indemnification agreement to obtain the monkeypox vaccine, the same process used to obtain the Covid-19 vaccines.
On Wednesday, speaking at the Ministry of Health’s virtual media update, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the agreement will be sent to the Attorney General’s Office before the end of the week.
The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) is dealing with the lone monkeypox vaccine supplier Bavarian Nordic A/S.
The supplier is not negotiating with individual countries.
T&T was one of the first countries to sign up for the vaccines through PAHO.
To date, the Ministry of Health has sent 12 samples for testing and to date, all samples have tested negative, Deyalsingh also said.
In giving the global context, the minister said that to date the monkeypox virus 38,888 in 93 countries with Europe constituting 51% of those cases, 48% is from the Americas and two deaths reported of which Trinidad and Tobago is a part of and 1% from Africa.
Procedure for testing
Deyalsingh said, “There is absolutely no pressure put on anybody to be tested for monkeypox. These are persons who come into our facilities either wishing to be tested, who show signs and symptoms or people coming in with signs and symptoms and we determine at the clinical level at the attending physician level that this is a case that needs further investigation.”
He continued, “We will take the necessary swabs and send it for testing.”
Testing for monkeypox is based on symptomatic presentation especially if one has a skin lesion, a fever and other signs associated with the virus such as swollen lymph nodes.
“The clinician will make a determination based on the clinical presentation of the patient in front of them whether the degree of suspicion arises and the appropriate sample will be taken from a skin lesion to be sent for testing,” Deyalsingh explained.
