The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

PAHO officials said the coronavirus pandemic has created a mental health crisis in the region.

Dr Carissa Etienne, PAHO director, said yesterday: “This pandemic has ushered in a mental health crisis, as we’ve been shaken by fear, depression, isolation, and loss that is made especially acute as we mark this grim milestone.

“While we’re all shouldering more stress, some groups, like people living with disabilities or mental health and substance abuse disorders, have been especially hard-hit. Paradoxically, while mental health support has been more important than ever, it’s also been more out of reach.”

Dr Etienne, during PAHO’s weekly web briefing, said that data from 29 countries in the region found that nearly all of them experienced disruptions in mental health services, with significant disruptions reported in more than a quarter of participating countries.

She also spoke about the COVID-19 situation in the region, saying over 44 million people in the Americas have been infected – including more than two million over the last week.

“In North America, the US is continuing to report the highest number of cases in our region. Mexico is reporting a rise in infections, with some regions of that country – seeing tripling cases over the last few weeks,” she said.

“There is also growing pressure on hospital capacity throughout North America. In some states of the US, nearly 80 percent of ICU beds are being used to treat COVID-19 patients, with similar rates in many Mexican states, just as some areas of Canada are reaching hospital capacity. In the Caribbean, larger islands, like Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Cuba, are seeing an increase in infections.”

Smaller island nations, like Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia, she said, are seeing a rapid acceleration of cases with infections growing by more than 25 percent over the last week.

PAHO officials also said there is no extra funding to gain from the “return” of America to the World Health Organization as a member state, as that country never really officially left the international public health authority as believed.

During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was reported by the media that former President Donald Trump pulled the United States as a member state of WHO. It was further reported that upon taking office, newly elected President Joseph Biden signed an executive order reversing the move.

The Tribune asked if the return of the US to WHO could mean more funding for the region and quicker access to vaccines. Paulo Lyra, PAHO communications representative, explained the status of the US as it pertains to WHO.

He said: “WHO and its partners are taking all possible measures to get the vaccines to countries as soon as possible. Please note that the US never ceased to be a WHO member state.

“They announced their intention to withdraw and then recently announced their intention to remain a member state. The process takes one year. So there is no funding ‘increase’. So the recent announcement by the US government in itself does not affect the pace of the distribution of vaccines.”