Caribbean health agencies strengthen disease surveillance and elimination efforts

Public health initiatives in the Caribbean are focusing on strengthening laboratory networks and disease elimination strategies. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) recently hosted the 11th Annual Caribbean Public Health Laboratory Network Workshop in Barbados. The event brought together laboratory directors from various nations, including Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Curacao, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, to improve disease detection, surveillance, and diagnostic coordination.

In Guyana, the Ministry of Health is intensifying efforts to eliminate infectious diseases such as lymphatic filariasis, leishmaniasis, leprosy, malaria, and hepatitis C. Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony noted that Guyana is approaching certification for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis. Additionally, through collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the country is working to expand hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment by reducing medicine costs to under US$100 per patient.