HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh rejected what he described as continued mischief being spread by the Opposition UNC about monkeypox and Trinidad and Tobago's ability to deal with it

At a news conference on August 7, Caroni East MP Dr Rishad Seecheran said the Health Ministry should ask developed countries for donations of the monkeypox vaccine and not depend on the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to acquire the vaccine.

Addressing the virtual covid19 news conference on Wednesday, Deyalsingh said those comments provided further evidence that the only people who continued to make the same mistake on all issues were the UNC, because they did not have the facts of the matters they spoke about.

Nine DNA samples sent overseas by the ministry to test for monkeypox have returned negative, indicating the virus is not present in TT at this time.

Deyalsingh said it was necessary for him to update the public on TT's efforts to acquire the monkeypox vaccine to "dispel the misinformation and disinformation being put out by the UNC and their spokespersons."

He advised the population to disregard all comments coming from the UNC because it had no credible information to support any of its statements.

"As we have the information, we will bring it to you."

The ministry was part of meetings with PAHO on July 15 and August 5 on acquiring the monkeypox vaccine. The latter meeting involved Deyalsingh and all his Caricom counterparts.

Deyalsingh said a resolution was passed at the August 5 by all Caricom health ministers, allowing PAHO to engage in negotiations with the manufacturer of the vaccine and acquire it for Caricom.

"As I indicated earlier, TT was one of the first countries (in Caricom) to indicate interest to acquire (monkeypox) vaccines."

Bavarian Nordic is the only monkeypox vaccine manufacturer in the world.

Referring to information from PAHO director Dr Clarissa Etienne, Deyalsingh said, "While supplies of the vaccine are extremely limited, PAHO has engaged in early negotiations with the sole manufacturer."

This, he continued, shattered the myth being perpetuated by the UNC that the vaccine is "available in a drugstore and you can buy it on a shelf."

Deyalsingh added that against the background of limited vaccine supplies, larger countries could be trying to hoard those supplies.

"But the manufacturer has indicated there is an understanding that it will deal with PAHO and maybe not individual countries."

Through PAHO, Deyalsingh reiterated, TT is in the market for the vaccine. On August 3, he said the ministry placed an order with PAHO for 2,000 doses of the vaccine.

There remains no confirmation on the price for the vaccine or its arrival date in TT.

But Deyalsingh said the ministry now has information on the vaccine's shelf life. Bavarian Nordic had told PAHO, he said, the exact date of the vaccine's expiration will be given once a contract to acquire the vaccines has been signed.