Caribbean News
CARPHA AND PAHO SIGN $750,000 AGREEMENT TO IMPROVE REGIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH
July 6, 2022 – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), committed US$750,000 to support programmes of CARPHA over the next 18 months. PAHO and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) signed a subsidiary agreement to improve regional public health, including health security, at the Trinidad Hilton today, June 29th 2022.
Sub-regional Programme Director, PAHO Caribbean, Mr. Dean Chambliss stated, “These agreements not only provide structure to our alliance, but also symbolise the commitment we share to working together to advance public health in the Caribbean region, in support of our Member States and the Caribbean people”.
Mr. Chambliss was high in praise for the work of CARPHA and expressed his appreciation for the critical role the
Agency plays in regional public health. He said, “Since it began operations in 2013, CARPHA has evolved into the public health leader it is today. Along with enhancing national capacities to deliver public health goods and services and providing laboratory support for disease surveillance to its member states, CARPHA coordinates responses to public health crises in the Caribbean”.
CARPHA Executive Director, Dr. Joy St. John acknowledged and thanked PAHO for its continued support over the last 10 years of operations. She said, “CARPHA looks forward to the continued collaboration with PAHO; as one of its longstanding partners, both as a funding partner and a technical partner in the delivery of care to the citizens and visitors of CARICOM”.
Projects under the CARPHA PAHO workplan for the years 2022 – 2023, which will benefit from funding provided under this subsidiary agreement, include improving access to safe and affordable medicines, the implementation of policy for healthy food environments and strengthening capacities of countries for the surveillance of communicable and non- communicable diseases.
Dr. St. John explained that the CARPHA’s mandate to improve public health to the Region will continue to remain a priority as the Agency continues to align its activities to its strategic objectives and the overall vision of the Caribbean Cooperation in Health.
KINGSTON, April 29 (JIS):
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says the outcome of discussions arising from the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) will assist in guiding the Government’s planning for climate change.
This, he points out, is important for climate mitigation as well as building Jamaica’s resilience.
“We look forward to the discussions that will, no doubt, take place. We look forward to the basis of planning for the Government to streamline its investments to ensure you have the tools that you need to better advise us, that the WRA (Water Resources Authority) has the tools to digitise its monitoring network, and that all of the agencies that touch our planning mechanisms have the tools. But we need to know what we are facing, and we’re guided by your expertise,” Minister Samuda said.
He was addressing the opening ceremony for the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in New Kingston on Monday (April 29).
Senator Samuda said given the fact that the climate has changed and continues to do so, investments in and collaborations on building Jamaica’s predictive and scientific capacity must be prioritised.
“Ultimately, we need to be able to assess our current climatic realities if we are to better plan, if we’re to insist and ensure that our infrastructure meets the needs that we need it to. I’m very happy that this event is happening… because this is a critical issue.
“Jamaica, last year, faced its worst and most severe drought… and this year, we’re already seeing the impacts of not quite as severe a drought but, certainly, a drought with severe impacts, especially in the western part of the country,” he said.
Principal Director, Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Evan Thompson, explained that the forum aims to, among other things, establish a collaboration platform for climate services providers and users to understand risks and opportunities of past, present and future climate developments, as well as improve inter-agency coordination of policies, plans and programmes.
Among the other presenters were Ambassador, European Union to Jamaica, Her Excellency Marianne Van Steen; Chief Scientist/Climatologist, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, Adrian Trotman; and Head, Regional Climate Prediction Services, World Meteorological Organization, Wilfran Moufouma-Okia.
The Meteorological Service of Jamaica hosted the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) in partnership with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology and the World Meteorological Organization.
The National Stakeholder Consultation is a governance mechanism that guides how different sectors or actors work together to create products that contribute to adaptation and resilience-building. It seeks to create a road map for the development and implementation of climate services to inform decision-making.
NCF-1 aims to bridge the gap between climate providers and users. It increases the use of science-based information in decision-making and operations with the aim of generating and delivering co-produced and co-designed products and services.
CONTACT: CHRIS PATTERSON
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