By Sue-Ann Wayow

THE Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has officially launched its new Results-Oriented Strategic Plan for 2025–2030.

It was launched under the theme “Stronger Together: Advancing Caribbean Health Through Collaboration, Innovation and Sustainable Action” on July 30.

The high-level event, held in Georgetown, Guyana, brought together more than 100 participants including key regional health leaders from 22 CARPHA member states and representatives of 15 Caribbean regional agencies and international development partners to present a unified vision for advancing public health across the Caribbean over the next six years.

A release from CARPHA on Thursday stated, “The Strategic Plan outlines a bold and cohesive roadmap to tackle the region’s most pressing health challenges, from strengthening national health surveillance systems and improving pandemic preparedness, to reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases and addressing the health effects of climate change.

It said, “By integrating collaboration, innovation, and sustainability at the centre of its mission, CARPHA, through its strategic plan, is positioning the region to respond to future health threats with resilience and shared responsibility.”

Deputy Secretary-General of CARICOM, Dr. Armstrong Alexis, noted, “The CARICOM Secretariat sees this strategic plan as an opportunity to strengthen structured collaboration between the secretariat, CARPHA, and other regional entities, and a roadmap to guide how member states align their priorities and collaborate on critical regional imperatives.”

Attending the launch was Minister of Health of Grenada and Chair of CARPHA’s Executive Board, Philip Telesford.

He stated, “The unveiling of CARPHA’s 2025–2030 Strategic Plan is not just a technical milestone, it is a bold declaration of political will, of leadership in action, and our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of every Caribbean citizen.”

The two-day launch event featured presentations from CARPHA’s Department Heads on each of the six Strategic Priority Areas (SPAs), as well as interactive breakout sessions to engage participants on aligning national, regional, and donor priorities with the new plan.

Discussions focused on identifying opportunities for collaboration, reducing duplication of efforts, and maximizing regional resources to ensure impactful delivery of health services across CARPHA member states.

The strategic plan reflects months of consultation with member states, CARICOM institutions, regional entities and international development partners.

The release stated, “Both the launch in Guyana and the development of the Strategic Plan were supported through funding from the 11th EDF Programme of Support for Health Security Strengthening for Prevention and Control of Outbreaks of Communicable Diseases in the Caribbean, which continues to strengthen CARPHA’s efforts. The EU’s contribution underscores the vital importance of long-term partnerships in achieving sustainable health security and development goals in the Caribbean.”