“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 health landscape and joint reporting on progress on regional development outcomes. We must reduce duplication, increase interoperability and focus on results that matter to the people of this Community.”
Dr Armstrong Alexis
Deputy Secretary-General, CARICOM
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) officially unveiled its Strategic Plan 2025–2030 today, Wednesday, 30 July, at the Pegasus Hotel Guyana, marking a pivotal moment for regional public health advancement.
The high-level event featured a keynote address by Dr Armstrong Alexis, Deputy Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), who later joined CARPHA Executive Director Dr Lisa Indar to unveil the new Strategic Plan.
In his remarks, Dr Alexis emphasised the critical importance of strategic clarity and regional alignment in the face of shifting global dynamics.
“This Plan arrives at a time when focused implementation and deliberate design are essential. The Caribbean is now navigating a global landscape defined by overlapping crises, economic uncertainty, climate volatility, increased disease threats, and persistent structural challenges,” he stated. “These complexities demand evolving institutional responses, and CARPHA’s forward-looking strategy demonstrates a timely and commendable commitment to action.”
Dr Alexis further noted the potential for deeper integration across the Region, highlighting the Plan as a mechanism to enhance structured collaboration among CARPHA, the CARICOM Secretariat, and other regional institutions. He stressed the need for coordinated resource mobilisation, clearly defined implementation roles, and joint reporting mechanisms to monitor regional development outcomes.
“We must reduce duplication, increase interoperability, and focus on results that matter to the People of this Community,” concluded Dr Alexis.
CARPHA’s Strategic Plan 2025–2030 sets out the agency’s vision for strengthening regional health systems, fostering innovation, and delivering measurable impact across the Caribbean. The launch underscores a renewed commitment to public health leadership and resilience at a time when regional cooperation has never been more vital.
Please view Dr Alexis’ complete remarks below.
Keynote Address
by
Dr Armstrong Alexis
Deputy Secretary-General, CARICOM
Launch of the CARPHA Strategic Plan 2025–2030
30-31 July 2025
“Strategic Leadership in Regional Health”
Salutations:
- I wish to particularly say a pleasant good morning to the Chair of the CARPHA Board, the Hon. Minister Philip Telesford, Minister of Health of Grenada and Chair of the Board.
- Ms. Alison Drayton, Assistant Secretary-General, Human and Social Development
- Dr Lisa Indar, Executive Director, CARPHA
- Chief Medical Officers
- Permanent Secretaries
- Colleagues from the CARICOM Secretariat and CARPHA
- Representatives of Regional Institutions
- International Development Partners
- Ladies and Gentlemen
Good morning!
It is an honour and my distinct pleasure to be addressing you as your Keynote Speaker at this significant launch of the CARPHA 2025 – 2030 Strategic Plan. This, for me, is very significant as it comes in the backdrop of recent changes in the global economic landscape that necessitate a paradigm shift in the setting of priorities and ensuring that our institutions better position themselves to address the growing needs of our Region and its people.
I am particularly pleased to be addressing you this morning because over the past ten months, I have engaged CARPHA and officials in public health in the Caribbean in a number of settings, ensuring through it all, that the importance of the role that CARPHA plays as CARICOM’s premier public health institution is both recognised and secured. Today’s launch comes only a week after the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community signed a Joint Sub-regional cooperation Strategy with PAHO. CARPHA was intimately involved in crafting this strategy and will be integral in its implementation. The timeliness and relevance of this launch are therefore underscored as a pivotal and strategic landmark that signals the continuation of thoughtful and deliberate interventions to benefit the Region and secure public health gains that, if not reinforced, run the risk of loss of or reversal in previously achieved results.
My presence here this morning is also an indication of the commitment of the CARICOM Secretariat to walk the journey of hope and optimism with you, to navigate the tides of uncertainty with you and a pledge of the Secretariat’s commitment accompany you, advocate for you and join you in designing a future that affords our citizens a public health architecture that meets their needs, protects their interests and secures their right to live in a healthy Caribbean Region.
Ladies and gentlemen, we gather at a time when strategic clarity, alignment and implementation are not optional; on the contrary, they are essential ingredients for success and as I alluded earlier, the current shifts in the multilateral system compels us to be more strategic in our planning, more deliberate in our design and more focused in our approaches to secure results for our people. The global context in which the Caribbean must now operate is marked by overlapping crises, economic uncertainty, climate volatility, increased disease threats and persistent structural changes and challenges. These are complex issues, but they are not new to us, and while they evolve, so must our institutional responses. It is therefore timely and commendable that CARPHA has laid out a plan that is both responsive and forward-looking.
Importantly, the CARPHA Strategic Plan 2025-2030 does not exist in isolation. It complements and supports the broader health goals of the CARICOM Secretariat Strategic Plan 2022–2030.
There are several areas where this alignment is evident. Both Plans emphasise the urgent need to build resilient health systems capable of responding to public health threats. The Secretariat’s work through the Caribbean Cooperation in Health Framework and the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework for HIV and AIDS is strengthened by CARPHA’s technical expertise in this area. The fight against NCDs remains central to the regional health agenda. CARPHA continues to provide technical leadership to the several policy mandates of the Community and in keeping with the Heads of Government adoption of a Results-Based Management Framework for the Caribbean and the Community, your Board has directed CARPHA to anchor its operations on the principles of Results-Based Management, and that is commendable.
It is my view, based on the value of the support you provide to the Community, the dedication of your team and the indispensable nature of your work, that CARPHA is a high-performing organisation. I am aware that there are challenges, but despite the bumps along the way, you have been able to withstand those forces that threaten to derail you and have persevered. Your achievement for the ending period is irrefutable, and your pathway to 2030 is well articulated in this plan that is being launched this morning. I can only therefore wish you every success and remind you that the CARICOM Secretariat is here to support you as you undertake your role as the Community’s premier public health institution.
It is also commendable that the leadership of CARPHA has so strategically positioned the organisation to ensure that the gains of the previous period will continue into the next. I want to pay particular congratulations to Dr Indar. I am not sure, Dr Indar, if I should still refer to you as the new Executive Director, but in your role, I wish to commend you for the tremendous work that you have done and the partnership that you have built over the past few months.
CARPHA and the CARICOM Secretariat have collaborated on several fronts in providing support to Member States, particularly in scaling up prevention efforts, strengthening surveillance and improving access to care. A thorough review of the CARICOM 2030 Strategic Plan and CARPHA’s Plans acknowledges the growing need for integrated mental health and psychosocial support. This is especially relevant in post-disaster and post-pandemic contexts, and evidence from post-Beryl, post-COVID-19 and post-volcanic eruption indicates clearly that trauma and recovery intersect with development. Finally, even as the Secretariat advances its work on climate resilience, it is imperative that CARPHA’s health-environment nexus be supported, whether through vector control, food and water safety, or health emergency preparedness.
The CARICOM Secretariat sees this Strategic Plan 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 health landscape and joint reporting on progress on regional development outcomes. We must reduce duplication, increase interoperability and focus on results that matter to the people of this Community.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, strategic plans are only as good as the results obtained from their implementation. The CARICOM Secretariat welcomes the strong alignment between our two Plans, but alignment is just the beginning. What we now need is to deliberate on coordination between regional institutions, particularly in terms of implementation in Member States, resource mobilisation and progress monitoring. A key component of the successful implementation of this Strategic Plan will be robust monitoring and evaluation, allowing us to track progress, assess impact and make timely adjustments. Capacity building within Member States must also remain a priority. By investing in the training and development of healthcare professionals, we strengthen the foundation of our regional health systems. In parallel, we must continue to advocate for evidence-based health policies and facilitate the sharing of best practices across our Member States. These actions, taken together, will not only enhance delivery but will also reinforce our collective commitment to improving public health outcomes, strengthening resilience and promoting long-term sustainability in the Caribbean.
I take this occasion to commend CARPHA on its achievements over the past five (5) years. One which stands out to me is being successful in the bidding for The Pandemic Fund and also, most recently, securing grants for the support of AMR-led projects of which Member States are beneficiaries. Ladies and gentlemen, these were not only timely, but invaluable. Let us applaud these tremendous achievements and recommit ourselves to doing even more to ensure purposeful benefits are derived from the outstanding work that is done every day by our public health professionals.
The CARICOM Secretariat remains committed to supporting CARPHA and urges Member States to continue dialogue on advancing health. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, if there were ever a time for this collaboration, it’s now. Henry Ford reminds us that “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success“. We must continue to convene, coordinate, and advocate at the national, regional and international levels to ensure that health remains a pillar of resilience and a driver of development. As we move forward, let us be specific about where collaboration can be deepened for real impact on the Region’s human development and sustainability.
There are already mechanisms in place, such as the Caribbean Cooperation in Health Framework, Inter-agency and Member State-led Technical Working Groups, the Regional Health Communication Network, Regional Core Coordination Groups and other activities led by other partners. Let us build on these and ensure that implementation is not fragmented, but integrated and efficient.
In closing, I applaud CARPHA once again on the development of this strategic document which highlights a review of the achievements, challenges and the recommendations to not only mitigate current threats, but to be strategically positioned to address future and re-emerging health threats. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a significant milestone that is to be celebrated. The CARICOM Secretariat reaffirms its support as we transition from planning to implementation. In closing, I wish you a successful launch, purposeful deliberations and succinct outputs from today’s engagement. I look forward to implementation on priority areas and in time to come, we should be able to gather again to review outcomes and celebrate success.
Thank you.
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