Public Health
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PM Mottley: “Barbados Joins Regional Free Movement Initiative with Pride and Purpose”
“This supports jobs, supports public services, and supports our future.” Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Mia Mottley As of Wednesday, 1 October 2025, Barbados joins Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines in fully implementing the free movement of nationals among these Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states. This landmark step marks a new chapter in regional integration and mobility.…
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Grenada Leads Regional Charge against Non-Communicable Diseases with PAHO Hearts Initiative
Grenada has officially achieved national scale-up of the PAHO HEARTS initiative, marking a major milestone in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are no longer just a public health concern in Grenada—they are a national priority. In 2019, NCDs accounted for over 80% of all deaths in the country, with cardiovascular diseases responsible for four of the…
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Caribbean Health Leaders Call for Urgent Action to Build Resilient Health Systems amidst Climate and Economic Threats
“Diseases carry profound financial consequences, resulting in losses due to reduced productivity and rising healthcare costs. Such realities highlight that health is not just a social priority; it is an economic imperative.”– Hon. Philip Telesford | Minister of Health, Wellness, and Religious Affairs | Grenada and Chair of the 50th COHSOD-Health CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana | Saturday, 27…
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COHSOD–Health Chair Urges Stronger Health Systems to Withstand Climate and Financial Shocks
“Our health systems remain vulnerable to hurricanes and floods. These events remind us of the urgent need for resilient health systems and integrated disaster response strategies. The evolving economic landscape has added another layer of complexity. Diseases carry profound financial consequences, resulting in losses due to reduced productivity and rising healthcare costs. Such realities highlight that health is not just…
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Message | Dr Carla Barnett | Secretary-General, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) | Caribbean Wellness Day | 13 September 2025
Even as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) makes progress in advancing sustainable development, we face the continuing and costly challenge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes remain the leading causes of illness and death across our Region. Lifestyle factors, such as tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption, erode the health of our people,…
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CARICOM Secretary-General Calls for Strengthened Health Collaboration between Africa and the Caribbean
“Health has long been a central focus of the regional development agenda in CARICOM. Guided by the Caribbean Cooperation in Health (CCH) framework, now in its fourth iteration, our Governments have collectively identified and continue to address priority health concerns that affect the people of the Caribbean Community. The Caribbean Cooperation in Health framework has provided the platform for aligning…
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CARIFESTA XV Ignites Momentum for CARICOM Reparations Movement with “Big Conversation”
On Wednesday, 27 August, the CARICOM reparations movement took centre stage at CARIFESTA XV with a landmark event titled “Big Conversations | Righting Wrongs: CARICOM’s Call for Reparations, Justice and Healing.” Held at the iconic Queen’s Park Esplanade, the gathering marked a pivotal moment in the Region’s ongoing pursuit of reparatory justice and historical reckoning and underscored CARICOM’s commitment to international…
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Remarks by CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General Alison Drayton at opening of Regional Nursing Body AGM
“We look to the leadership of the Regional Nursing Body to provide the strategic guidance on how the Region can advance and expand the nursing and midwifery professions to support the achievement of universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.” – Ms. Alison Drayton, Assistant Secretary-General, Human and Social Development, CARICOM Secretariat Please read her remarks below: Ms. Alison…
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“This Plan is both Responsive and Forward-Looking”: CARICOM DSG on CARPHA’s Strategy to Tackle Regional Health Crises
“The CARICOM Secretariat sees [the CARPHA Strategic Plan 2025–2030] as an opportunity to strengthen structured collaboration between the Secretariat, CARPHA and other regional entities, and a road map to guide how Member States align their priorities and collaborate on critical regional imperatives. Ladies and gentlemen, this will no doubt require coordinated approaches to resource mobilisation, clear implementation roles across the…
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Caribbean Public Health Leaders Convene to Drive Action on Regional Health Security
The Caribbean’s unique vulnerabilities — from small population bases and porous borders to economic dependence on tourism and the escalating impacts of climate change — demand coordinated, context-specific, and forward-looking solutions. Strengthening our collective capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats is, therefore, not optional, it is imperative. Alison Drayton | Assistant Secretary-General | Human and Social Development…
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