Caption: Members of CARPHA’s Executive Management Team are flanked by participants of the two-day RHCN Workshop, held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC), in Bridgetown, Barbados
COMMUNICATION and health promotion experts from 25 Caribbean nations are now better equipped to respond to public health emergencies.
They have strengthened their capabilities through a unified “One Health” approach.
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in media release on Friday stated that it hosted a two-day Regional Health Communication Network (RHCN) workshop in Barbados on May 4 and 5 to boost emergency preparedness and improve risk communication across member states.
It stated the “One Health” approach connects human health with the health of animals and ecosystems, as the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 60% of infectious diseases in humans are zoonotic. These include diseases such as Covid-19, Ebola, and SARS, contributing to over 2.5 billion illnesses and 2.7 million deaths globally each year.
CARPHA Executive Director Dr Lisa Indar highlighted that the agency’s partnerships have led to tangible results including improved diagnostics, policy progress, and community-based interventions. “Our aim is to walk away with actionable strategies and concrete plans,” she said during the opening remarks.
Director of Corporate Services at CARPHA Dr Mark Sami, credited the European Union’s (EU) funding via the Regional Health Security Grant for supporting the initiative. EU Team Leader Dr Florian Luetticken urged participants to explore innovative collaborations with the EU.
Participants also shared their experiences. Mayara Wijsman, a public health nurse from Sint Eustatius, spoke about the importance of engaging communities before policy-making. Haiti’s Dr Jeanty Fils Exalus noted the workshop’s role in combating misinformation using social media.
Established in 2015, the RHCN plays a key role in strengthening regional responses by ensuring accurate public health messaging through collaboration among CARPHA Member States. This year’s workshop preceded the 69th CARPHA Annual Health Research Conference and was supported by the 11th European Development Fund.
