CARPHA’s high-level Executive Board meeting hosted in Guyana

The Ministry of Health’s Brickdam Headquarters on Sunday hosted a high-level meeting of the Executive Board of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), chaired by Guyana’s Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony.

The meeting brought together regional health leaders and senior officials to engage in strategic discussions aimed at strengthening public health systems, enhancing regional collaboration, and addressing priority health challenges across the Caribbean.

Among those present were Philip Telesford, Outgoing Chair of the Board, and Dr. Bertrand Sinal, Incoming Chair. Also in attendance was CARICOM Assistant Director for Human and Social Development, Ms. Alison Drayton.

Regional agencies were well represented, including Ms. Elizabeth Riley, Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), and Dr. Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, Assistant Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Members of CARPHA’s Executive and Department Management Teams also participated in the meeting.

Additional attendees included Lt. Col. Bobeth O’Garro, Deputy Chief Officer within the Ministry of Health, Environment and Sustainability of the Cayman Islands; Mr. Evans McNiel Rogers, Senior Ministerial Advisor from Anguilla; Dr. Jean Patrick Alfred of Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population; Ms. Iralice Jansen of Curaçao’s Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature; Dr. Judelca Briceño of Aruba’s Department of Public Health; Ms. Erica Fortune, Permanent Secretary of Trinidad and Tobago; and Dr. Jacqueline Bisasor-McKenzie, Chief Medical Officer of Jamaica.

Delivering remarks at the meeting, Minister Anthony underscored the evolving role of public health in an increasingly complex global landscape. He noted that public health must go beyond the detection of pathogens to also safeguarding accurate information and public trust.

“While the threats have changed significantly, we now have tools available to us. We are in an age of evolving technologies that can transform public health, if we are wise enough to embrace them,” the Minister stated.

He further emphasised that discussions surrounding CARPHA’s future are intrinsically linked to the region’s resilience, highlighting the need for a modern, unified approach to health security.

“As we speak about CARPHA’s future, we are speaking about the Caribbean building a public health shield that is required for this century,” he added.

The meeting underscored CARPHA’s continued commitment to advancing regional health security, fostering partnerships, and promoting coordinated responses to emerging and ongoing public health issues across member states.