BRIDGETOWN, Barbados--The Ministry of Health and Wellness has denied a local media report that the island is experiencing a measles outbreak.
In fact, said Senior Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Karen Broome, Barbados has not documented a case of measles since 1990.
A local online news website last week Friday quoted charity Parent Education for Development in Barbados PAREDOS Director Sheila Stuart as saying, “The Ministry of Health sent four inspectors to check those green cards for immunisation purposes because we have a measles outbreak in Barbados.”
However, the Ministry said it is simply conducting a review of vaccination records of children in nurseries and day care centres throughout the island to ensure they are up-to-date, in order to prevent an outbreak.
“The Ministry of Health and Wellness advises that measles can be prevented once children receive two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine which in Barbados is administered at ages 12 months and 18 months. If your child has not been vaccinated, you are advised to contact your health care provider immediately,” it said.
Outbreaks of measles continue to be reported in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe and the Americas. ~ Caribbean360 ~
