Antigua and Barbuda Commits to New Regional Health Strategy with PAHO/WHO

Antigua and Barbuda has pledged to strengthen health equity and resilience across the Eastern Caribbean by signing onto a new five-year strategy with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Multi-Country Cooperation Strategy (MCCS) 2026–2031 was signed in Washington, D.C., during the 62nd Directing Council of PAHO. Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, Senator Michael Joseph, signed the agreement on behalf of Antigua and Barbuda, accompanied by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kamaria DeCastro.

Joseph said the Caribbean faces a “dual burden” of non-communicable diseases and persistent infectious threats, compounded by the growing pressure of climate-related disasters. “Governments across the region have made bold moves to strengthen primary care, invest in climate-resilient facilities, and adopt digital health systems,” he noted. “But challenges remain from workforce shortages to high out-of-pocket costs and this cooperation is critical to bridging those gaps.”

The Minister pointed out that while life expectancy remains relatively high in the region, inequalities continue to affect vulnerable groups.

He stressed that the MCCS represents not just an agreement, but a renewed promise to citizens that governments will deliver people-centred, inclusive, and sustainable health care.

The new framework also aligns with efforts already underway in the Caribbean, including stronger action on non-communicable disease prevention, initiatives to address antimicrobial resistance, and the integration of mental health into primary care.

The signing was also symbolic, coinciding with the anniversaries of several Eastern Caribbean nations joining PAHO in the 1980s, including Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.