Project

Risk Assessment for Infectious Diseases with Pandemic Potential in the Caribbean (RiCa)

Surveillance systems for detecting and reporting infectious diseases are present in the Caribbean, but these can be further developed and strengthened. There is currently no overview of which infectious diseases occur in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom (CdvhK), while this knowledge contributes to improved resilience against infectious diseases of pandemic potential.

In co-creation and collaboration between partners, we will evaluate which infectious diseases and environmental risks occur in the CdvhK and provide advice on prevention of these risks. We organise a stakeholder meeting, develop an infographic, and a risk disc. We conduct observational research and conduct questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups. We share and disseminate knowledge at individual, community, healthcare, and policy levels. The programme will be carried out by the WUR with advice of the, the local government of Curacao, and the Caribbean Prevention Centre.

Background

Many tropical infectious diseases pose a socio-economic and disease burden in the Caribbean, which has been shown by the recent dengue outbreak on Curaçao. Already three people have died since the start of the outbreak (till March 2024), underlying the importance of understanding the main risks of infectious diseases on Curaçao to better prevent and control infection transmission.

Project description

This project will make an inventory of the risks that individuals, households, and communities encounter of certain groups of infections (waterborne, airborne, vector-borne, or zoonotic diseases). This will be done by:

  1. Surveys among household members;
  2. Focus groups;
  3. Environmental observation;
  4. Time trends of surveillance data.

The results will provide input for policy recommendations.