New collaboration between CARICOM & Central America

On Friday, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, launched a new health initiative that formalizes a partnership between two major Caribbean regional organizations – the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Council of Ministers of Health of Central America (COMISCA).

The collaboration is crucial because the Caribbean region faces several health challenges, including chronic diseases, non-communicable diseases, and climate change.

According to Drew, the CARPHA-COMISCA collaboration is a historic moment, as it marks the formalization of a health partnership between two important regional organizations.

The countries in Central America are classified with the Caribbean for many health matrices, so it is fitting that the collaboration is formally established with CARPHA, the lone regional public health agency.

Drew, a medical practitioner who leads the health sector in the 15-member CARICOM quasi Cabinet, stated that CARPHA is committed to pursuing an inclusive ‘One Health’ approach, leveraging partnerships to combat health challenges and emergencies in the region.

CARPHA’s primary goal is to advance the collective priorities outlined in the Caribbean Cooperation in Health IV and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Drew noted that at the core of CARPHA’s strategy lies a comprehensive partnership policy that aims to cultivate formal partnership relationships, addressing regional public health priorities and emergencies through unified action and shared services.

COMISCA, which serves as the regional forum for eight member countries, including Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic, is dedicated to identifying and prioritizing regional health concerns.

CARPHA and COMISCA have a long history of working together on several issues, including health, education, and disaster management, which strengthens this informal but successful collaboration. The formalization of the CARPHA-COMISCA Collaboration and Cooperation will provide a framework for even greater collaboration in the future as the two organizations work to remedy the health challenges in the region.

Drew assured that the political directorate would advocate for strategic policies to strengthen health systems through this collaboration.