UWI and CARPHA Renew Five-Year Partnership to Strengthen Caribbean Public Health Research

The Caribbean's ability to respond to public health threats, from infectious diseases to climate-related emergencies, is set to receive renewed institutional support following a five-year partnership agreement between The University of the West Indies (The UWI) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).

The two regional institutions renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during a signing ceremony on October 22, establishing an expanded framework for cooperation in public health research, education, training and innovation across the Caribbean.

The agreement, announced by The UWI on Monday, November 2, builds on a relationship dating back several years and is intended to strengthen the region's capacity to tackle existing and emerging health challenges through scientific research, knowledge-sharing and coordinated action.

Professor C. Justin Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic-Industry Partnerships and Planning at The UWI, signed the agreement on behalf of Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles.

Robinson said the partnership was particularly important given the Caribbean's significant burden of chronic non-communicable diseases, arguing that regional institutions must work together to develop solutions suited to the needs of Caribbean populations.

"Our region carries one of the heaviest burdens of chronic non-communicable diseases in the world. No single institution can turn this around alone," he said.

He added that the renewed agreement would bring together the region's leading research university and its principal public health agency to ensure that solutions are developed by Caribbean experts for Caribbean communities.

CARPHA Executive Director Dr. Lisa Indar also highlighted the importance of cooperation between regional institutions in strengthening health security and resilience.

She said the agreement reflected a shared commitment to regional integration, self-reliance and collective action, with both organisations combining their expertise to support healthier and more sustainable Caribbean societies.

The renewed agreement expands on an earlier MoU signed in February 2019, which supported cooperation in academic and technical training, health and environmental research, staff exchanges and student internships.

Under the new framework, the institutions will pursue joint initiatives in disease prevention and control, health surveillance, disaster preparedness and emergency response, climate change and environmental health, food safety and security, as well as medicines quality and pharmacovigilance.

The partnership also builds on previous collaborative projects, including specialised training in Geographic Information for Vector Surveillance (GIVeS), hosted at The UWI's St. Augustine Campus in August 2019.

That programme provided participants from 15 CARPHA Member States with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) skills to strengthen the monitoring and response to vector-borne diseases, including Zika.

The institutions also worked together on SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequencing through the New Variant Assessment Platform, contributing to regional efforts to monitor emerging variants of the virus responsible for COVID-19.

Beyond established public health priorities, the expanded agreement will explore emerging areas such as One Health, artificial intelligence education, digital competency, technological and scientific innovation, health economics and public health governance.

The organisations also intend to strengthen engagement among universities, healthcare practitioners, policymakers and communities, with the aim of translating research findings into practical interventions and policies.

To oversee the implementation of the agreement, a joint panel comprising representatives from both institutions will be established to monitor progress, identify opportunities for further cooperation and guide collaborative activities.

The UWI's Office of Global Affairs, led by Pro Vice-Chancellor Sandrea Maynard, will coordinate implementation across the university's campuses and serve as the central communication hub.

At CARPHA, Cherril Sobers, Specialist in Resource Mobilisation and Partnerships, will serve as the primary contact for coordinating the agency's involvement.