Lessons for sustaining the elimination of measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome in the Caribbean.

This study searched grey literature and PubMed for strategies to sustain the elimination of measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome and prevent their reintroduction in the Caribbean. Strategies were categorized at the macro, meso, and micro health levels. Macro strategies include: strong, clear, unified political and technical leadership and support; country ownership and subregional coordination of resources, policies, and programs; government investment in national immunization programs; and timely payment to the Pan American Health Organization Revolving Fund for affordable, good-quality vaccines.

A review of immunization legislation for children in English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean countries.

Objective: To assess the legislative frameworks concerning childhood vaccination in the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean and propose a model legislative framework for Caribbean countries.

Methods: This study included a survey of 22 countries and territories in the Caribbean regarding legal vaccination mandates for school entry, budget allocations, sanctions, or exemptions. A legal consultant conducted a comprehensive search and analysis of legislation regarding vaccination among 13 Caribbean countries/territories.

Assessment of a didactic ambulatory care pharmacy elective on student perceptions and subsequent performance in an ambulatory care advanced pharmacy practice experience.

Introduction: This study assessed student perception in treating chronic disease states before and after taking an ambulatory care didactic elective and the impact on performance within a fourth-year ambulatory care advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE).

Methods: Assessment of student perceptions was evaluated in students taking the Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 elective offering by completing an 11-item electronic survey prior to the first lecture of the course and after the last lecture of the course. A retrospective assessment of student performance in the APPE compared students that had taken the elective to those that had not over a two-and-one-half year period.

The Expanded Program on Immunization in the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean (1977-2016): reasons for its success.

The year 2017 marks the 40 year of the establishment of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Americas, the first WHO region certified as eliminating poliomyelitis (1994), measles (2016), and rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) (2015). The English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean subregion of the Americas paved the way in eliminating these diseases. This report highlights the innovative strategies used in this subregion that helped make the EPI a success.