The Caribbean island of Dominica has launched its first ever Dr. Carissa Etienne Primary Health Care Week, a new commemorative initiative designed to honor the legacy of one of the region’s most influential public health leaders and expand access to community-centered care across the country.
In a keynote address to mark the launch of the inaugural event, Honourable Cassanni Laville, the island’s Minister for Health, Wellness and Social Services, highlighted the urgent and ongoing need to strengthen primary health care infrastructure as the foundation of national public health systems. Laville’s address, which was recorded for broadcast to communities across the nation, outlined the core goals of the commemorative week, which centers on bringing critical health services directly to underserved populations, raising public awareness of preventive care, and training local health workers to deliver more responsive, patient-first treatment.
The week is named for Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, a trailblazing Dominican public health expert who served for over a decade as Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), becoming one of the most respected voices on regional public health. Throughout her career, Etienne repeatedly emphasized that robust primary health care is the most effective path to achieving universal health coverage and reducing health inequities across the Americas. Her work guiding the region through multiple public health emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, cemented her reputation as a leader who prioritized accessible, community-rooted care.
Throughout the five-day initiative, a full slate of planned activities will roll out across urban and rural communities across Dominica. These include free community health screenings for chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, educational workshops on mental health wellness and maternal care, outreach campaigns to encourage routine vaccination, and consultation sessions to gather public input on how to improve local primary health services. Organizers note that the initiative is not just a one-time commemoration, but a catalyst for long-term improvements to primary care delivery across the island, aligned with the global movement toward universal health coverage that Dr. Etienne championed throughout her career.
In her lifetime of work, Dr. Etienne consistently pushed for Caribbean nations to invest in primary care as a cost-effective, equitable way to improve population health outcomes. By naming this annual week in her honor, Dominica has formalized a commitment to carrying forward that vision, while creating a recurring platform to address gaps in local care and celebrate the work of frontline primary health workers who serve communities every day.