GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Wednesday launched its five-year strategic plan that the Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat says complements and supports its CARICOM Secretariat Strategic Plan 2022–2030.
CARICOM Deputy Secretary General, Dr Armstrong Alexis, delivering the feature address at the launch of CARPHA’s five year strategic plan.CARPHA was established in July 2011 by an Inter-Governmental Agreement signed by CARICOM member states and began its operation in January 2013. The agency rationalizes public health arrangements in the region by combining the functions of five Caribbean Regional Health Institutes (RHIs) into a single agency.
Delivering the feature address at the launch of the CARPHA 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, CARICOM Deputy Secretary General, Dr Armstrong Alexis said the plan has been developed against the backdrop of recent changes in the global economic landscape that necessitate a paradigm shift in the setting of priorities and ensuring that regional institutions better position themselves to address the growing needs of the region.
He said the launch comes a week after CARICOM signed a Joint Sub-regional cooperation Strategy with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in which CARPHA was intimately involved in crafting and will be integral in its implementation.
“The timeliness and relevance of this launch is therefore underscored as a pivotal and strategic landmark that signals the continuation of thoughtful and deliberate interventions to benefit the region and secure public health gains that if not reinforced, run the risk of loss of or reversal in previously achieved results.”
Alexis said his presence here is also an indication of the commitment of the CARICOM Secretariat to “walk the journey of hope and optimism” with CARPHA, as well as to navigate the tides of uncertainty and a pledge of cooperation “in designing a future that affords our citizens a public health architecture that meets their needs, protects their interests and secures their right to live in a healthy Caribbean region.
“We gather at a time when strategic clarity, alignment and implementation are not optional; on the contrary, they are essential ingredients for success,” Alexis said, reiterating that the “current shifts in the multilateral system compels us to be more strategic in our planning, more deliberate in our design and more focused in our approaches to secure results for our people.
“The global context in which the Caribbean must now operate is marked by overlapping crises, economic uncertainty, climate volatility, increased disease threats and persistent structural changes and challenges.
“These are complex issues, but they are not new to us, and while they evolve, so must our institutional responses. It is therefore timely and commendable that CARPHA has laid out a plan that is both responsive and forward-looking.”
He said importantly, the CARPHA Strategic Plan 2025-2030 does not exist in isolation complimenting the goals of the CARICOM Secretariat Strategic Plan 2022–2030 and that there are several areas where this alignment is evident.
He said both Plans emphasize the urgent need to build resilient health systems capable of responding to public health threats and that the fight against non- communicable diseases (NCDs) remains central to the regional health agenda.
The CARICOM Deputy Secretary General said that CARPHA continues to provide technical leadership to the several policy mandates of the 15-member regional integration movement and that it has been directed to anchor its operations on the principles of “Results-Based Management”.
Alexis said that he is aware that there are challenges but despite the bumps along the way, “you have been able to withstand those forces that threaten to derail you and have persevered.
“Your achievement for the ending period is irrefutable and your pathway to 2030 is well articulated in this plan that is being launched this morning. I can only therefore wish you every success and remind you that the CARICOM Secretariat is here to support you as you undertake your role as the Community’s premier public health institution”
He said a thorough review of the CARICOM 2030 Strategic Plan and CARPHA’s Plans acknowledges the growing need for integrated mental health and psychosocial support.
“This is especially relevant in post-disaster and post-pandemic contexts, and evidence from post-Beryl, post-COVID-19 and post-volcanic eruption indicates clearly that trauma and recovery intersect with development.”
He said that even as the CARICOM Secretariat advances its work on climate resilience, it is imperative that CARPHA’s health-environment nexus be supported, whether through vector control, food and water safety, or health emergency preparedness.
He said that the CARICOM Secretariat sees the CARPHA Strategic Plan as an opportunity to strengthen structured collaboration between the Secretariat, CARPHA and other regional entities, and a road map to guide how member states align their priorities and collaborate on critical regional imperatives.
Alexis said this will no doubt require coordinated approaches to resource mobilization, clear implementation roles across the health landscape and joint reporting on progress on regional development outcomes.
“We must reduce duplication, increase interoperability and focus on results that matter to the people of this Community,” he said, noting however that strategic plans are only as good as the results obtained from their implementation.
He said a key component of the successful implementation of the strategic plan will be robust monitoring and evaluation, “allowing us to track progress, assess impact and make timely adjustments.
“Capacity building within Member States must also remain a priority. By investing in the training and development of healthcare professionals, we strengthen the foundation of our regional health systems.
“In parallel, we must continue to advocate for evidence-based health policies and facilitate the sharing of best practices across our member states. These actions, taken together, will not only enhance delivery but will also reinforce our collective commitment to improving public health outcomes, strengthening resilience and promoting long-term sustainability in the Caribbean.”
