Carissa Etienne
Etienne in 2018
Born
Carissa Faustina Etienne

(1952-11-02)2 November 1952
British Leeward Islands
Died1 December 2023(2023-12-01) (aged 71)
United States
NationalityDominican
Alma materUniversity of the West Indies
Occupation(s)Doctor
Public health expert

Carissa Faustina Etienne (2 November 1952 – 1 December 2023) was a Dominican public health expert. She served as the Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Regional Director for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO) (2018–2023).[1][2] Up to her death, she was in her second five-year term as PAHO director, having been re-elected by the PAHO member states during the Pan American Sanitary Conference in September 2017. In January 2018, she was named Regional Director for the Americas for WHO by its Executive Board based in Geneva.[2] She was an advocate for universal health coverage.[3]

Early life and education

Etienne graduated with a degree in Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica. She held a master's degree in community health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK.

Career

[4] Etienne started her career as a medical officer in the Princess Margaret Hospital in Dominica. She was Director of Primary Health Care Services, Disaster Coordinator, National Epidemiologist in the Ministry of Health, Coordinator of the National AIDS Program, Chair of the National AIDS Committee, and had two separate terms as Chief Medical Officer.[5]

Etienne was the Assistant Director of PAHO from 2003 to 2008.[6] She served as the Assistant Director-General of Health Systems and Services at the World Health Organization in 2008–12.[7][8] She was elected PAHO director in September 2012 and took up the position, which has a five-year term, in February 2013.[8] She also served as honorary Vice-President of the American Public Health Association.[9]

On 27 September 2017, Etienne was re-elected for a second five-year term as Director of PAHO by the Member States of the organization.[10] On 23 January 2018 the WHO Executive Board appointed her for a second term as WHO Regional Director for Americas.[4]

Dr. Etienne is credited for leading efforts by the World Health Organization's Pan American bureau, PAHO, to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the Americas. She is also credited for the organization's campaigns against cholera and yellow fever outbreaks in the countries of Haiti and Brazil. Dr. Etienne also lead PAHO's efforts against the Zika virus and Chikungunya epidemics in the Americas.[11][12]

Death

Etienne died in the United States on 1 December 2023, at the age of 71.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "OAS Congratulates New PAHO Director" (Press release). Organization of American States. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  2. 1 2 Mitchell, Cristina (10 November 2017). "PAHO/WHO | Director's Page". Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  3. ↑ Evans, David B.; Marten, Robert; Etienne, Carissa (8 September 2012). "Universal health coverage is a development issue". The Lancet. 380 (9845): 864–865. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61483-4. PMID 22959373. S2CID 34836441. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  4. 1 2 Jatinder, Kaur (24 January 2018). "Dr Carissa Etienne Becomes Regional Director for Americas". ABC Live. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  5. ↑ Fontaine, Thomson (5 February 2004). "Dr. Carissa F. Etienne: Assistant Director, Pan American Health Organization". The Dominican.net. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  6. ↑ Holmes, David (23 February 2013). "Carissa Etienne: taking the reins at PAHO". The Lancet. 381 (9867): 619. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60334-7. PMID 23439091. S2CID 41384747. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  7. ↑ "WHO Assistant Directors webpage". WHO. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Biographical Note". paho.org. Pan American Health Organization. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  9. ↑ "Carissa Etienne, MBBS, MSc". APHA. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  10. ↑ "Dr. Carissa F. Etienne re-elected for second term as PAHO Director". PAHO/WHO. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  11. ↑ Official Funeral for Dr Carissa Etienne set for Wednesday, January 10, 2024. Dominicanewsonline.com. https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/official-funeral-for-dr-carissa-etienne-set-for-wednesday-january-10-2024/
  12. ↑ "Dr Carissa Etienne elected for a second term as WHO Regional Director for the Americas". www.who.int. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  13. ↑ "Former PAHO Director Dr Carissa Etienne has died". Loop. 1 December 2023.
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