Anthony Blinken, the United States Secretary of State, highlighted the work of Jamaican Registered General Nurse Sister Antonia Richards Stewart for her work during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the “additional training and equipment” provided by USAID to Stewart, she and her colleagues at Kingston Public Hospital were able to save lives. Stewart said that the critical element in winning the fight against the coronavirus “is us, the people.” Blinken made his comments about Stewart at the White House Virtual COVID-19 Summit on September 21, 2021, which was held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

In a story published on the U.S. Agency for International Development Medium website, Antonia said “I’ve gained a wealth of knowledge from this pandemic in terms of caring for patients. But what is critical to winning this fight against COVID-19 is us, the people. We need to rise up, wise up, see the situation for what it is, and work hard at maintaining our health and the health of others.” says Antonia.

Photo – US Embassy