What is it about?
This paper explains how Grenada responded to a major chikungunya outbreak in 2014, when an estimated 60% of the population became infected in just a few months. It describes what public health officials did before, during, and after the outbreak, including mosquito control efforts, public education campaigns, and changes to health care services. The paper also discusses key challenges, such as limited laboratory testing, strain on the health system, and public skepticism about how the disease spreads. By reflecting on what worked and what did not, the study highlights important lessons that can help Grenada and other Caribbean countries better prepare for and respond to future mosquito-borne disease outbreaks.
Featured Image
Photo by CDC on Unsplash
Why is it important?
What makes this study unique is that it provides a rare, detailed, real-world account of how a small Caribbean island responded to an explosive chikungunya outbreak that infected a majority of its population in a very short time. Rather than focusing only on disease numbers, the paper documents the full public health response—from early preparedness and community engagement to health system strain, public misinformation, and post-epidemic reflection—within a resource-limited setting. Few studies capture these operational realities so comprehensively, particularly from the perspective of local public health authorities working during an unfolding crisis. The findings matter because they translate lived experience into practical lessons that are directly relevant to other small island states and low-resource health systems facing mosquito-borne threats such as chikungunya, dengue, or Zika. By clearly identifying gaps in surveillance, laboratory capacity, risk communication, and vector control strategies, the study offers actionable insights that can inform future outbreak planning, policy revision, and community engagement. For readers, the paper goes beyond theory to show what actually happens on the ground during a high-attack-rate epidemic—and how those lessons can improve preparedness and save lives in future public health emergencies
Perspectives
From a personal perspective, this paper stands out because it tells the story of how a small Caribbean island confronted an overwhelming public health crisis with limited resources and little prior experience with chikungunya. Grenada’s response unfolded in real time, under intense pressure, as the virus spread rapidly and affected a large proportion of the population. The study captures the difficult decisions that had to be made, the constraints faced by public health officials, and the realities of managing an outbreak when laboratory capacity, health care staffing, and public trust were all stretched to their limits. What makes this account especially valuable is that it reflects the lived experience of outbreak response in a small island setting, where health systems are fragile and communities are closely interconnected. The findings illustrate how preparedness efforts, public communication, and community behavior can either support or hinder disease control during an explosive epidemic. By sharing these lessons openly, the study provides other Caribbean islands and similar settings with practical insights that can help them respond more effectively when the next mosquito-borne outbreak inevitably occurs, rather than having to learn the same lessons under crisis conditions.
Dr. Martin S Forde
St. George's University, Grenada
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Public health response and lessons learned from the 2014 chikungunya epidemic in Grenada, Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública, June 2017, Pan American Health Organization,
DOI: 10.26633/rpsp.2017.57.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
