Hailed for her foresight and leadership skills, and for positioning The Bahamas as a voice to be heard internationally on public health matters, Chief Medical Officer Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis last night accepted the Pan American Health Organization Award for Administration for 2009. The PAHO Award Committee noted that Dr Dahl-Regis was awarded for her contribution to health care management and research and to medical education in primary health care.

Made up of representatives from Argentina, Bolivia and the US, the Committee also cited her leadership in institutionalizing public health surveillance across all of The Bahamas and in evaluating and redefining the parameters for Caribbean Cooperation in Health.

The award was given at a special reception held in Washington, DC, on September 29, 2009, during a meeting of the 49th Directing Council of the PAHO. Dr Dahl-Regis said the award was an honor for not her alone, but for those who work in public health, ?particularly the women, and my country, The Bahamas.? ?I think it?s very special to be recognized in such an arena,? she said.

During her formal remarks, she said that public service and public health had been the most rewarding experiences of her medical career. ?As I accept this award, I do so remembering that I did not accomplish this on my own,? Dr. Dahl-Regis said, lauding her parents, mentors, family and friends.

?I envisage a public health care system where it is second nature for practitioners to put their clients first, where practice is based on evidence rather than economics, where preventative health care has become the flagship of healthcare systems globally, providing equitable, culturally relevant care.? Also at the special ceremony was Labor and Social Development Minister, Sen the Hon Dion Foulkes. He described Dr Dahl-Regis as a ?daughter of the soil,? and spoke of her ?tremendous investment in advancing the health and well-being of the people of The Bahamas, the Caribbean and the world.?

?Dr Dahl-Regis, because you are at the helm as the Chief Medical Officer of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and because of your proven commitment to preparedness, prevention and people, we sleep at night when the challenges of hurricanes, malaria, SARS, tuberculosis, dengue, AHIN1 and other diseases threaten to destabilize our economy, quality of life and overall well-being,? Senator Foulkes said.

Dr Dahl-Regis? leadership has been recognized throughout the region, as recently as the Caucus of CARICOM Ministers of Health a week ago, where references were made to her active engagement in addressing the health challenges faced by the region. At a private reception, Bahamas Ambassador to the US Cornelius Smith noted that Dr Dahl-Regis was a health ambassador, and that the award recognizes her leadership in the region particularly with respect to her contribution in primary health care.

Ambassador Smith pointed out that Dr Dahl-Regis was Bahamas and Caribbean educated, and that although she had the option of staying in the US after obtaining a degree in Public Health from the world-renowned Johns Hopkins University, and a time lecturing at Howard University, she had chosen to return to The Bahamas and make her contribution at home.

?Through her, it has been said, we found our voice in the public health arena,? the ambassador said.
Dr Dahl-Regis began her career at the Princess Margaret Hospital, and was appointed as Chief Medical Officer in 1997.

She established a Planning Unit in the Ministry of Health, designed to predict and map future developments in medicine and to plan national programs in the public system while considering the advances being made in the private sector. In its letter nominating Dr Dahl-Regis, the Ministry of Health said the importance of her contributions to health administration could not be overestimated.

It cited, in particular her ?ability to manage personnel from varied backgrounds and draw benefit from their varied experience? as ?crucial in a public health sector with a significant amount of expatriate medical professionals.?

?In addition to this, Dr. Dahl-Regis was instrumental in revamping the public health clinic system and in introducing non-medical administrators in clinics, thereby releasing nurses and doctors from the performance of administrative duties, allowing them to focus on delivering health care,? the Ministry said.

The Ministry also cited her handling of the discovery of malaria in The Bahamas, noting that under her leadership, the management of the episode limited the fallout to the nation?s tourism industry while highlighting the challenges faced in delivering health care in an archipelago.

Her leadership during the crisis, according to the Ministry, also resulted in protocols to be followed in emergency situations. Another aspect of Dr Dahl-Regis? accomplishments highlighted by the Ministry was her ?competent representation at the regional and international level.?

?The positioning of The Bahamas as a voice to be heard regionally and a voice to give expression to regional positions is a direct outcome of tireless, constant, active, superlative representation of The Bahamas? position at CARICOM and at World Health Organization meetings such as the World Health Assembly and the Pan American Health Organization gatherings,? the Ministry said.