Bridgetown, Barbados, 5 September 2025 (PAHO/WHO) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched the Suzan McLennon-Miguel Caribbean Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Leadership Award, a new regional honor recognizing exceptional leadership in the fight against antimicrobial resistance—a growing global health threat often referred to as the “silent pandemic.”

The award celebrates the legacy of Dr. Suzan McLennon-Miguel, a Jamaican veterinarian whose three-decades career spanned veterinary public health, disaster response, food safety, and AMR advocacy. Affectionately known as “Doc Sue,” she was a passionate champion of the One Health approach, which unites human, animal, and environmental health to tackle complex health challenges like AMR.

PAHO welcomes the nominations of individuals or organizations from across the Caribbean who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to addressing AMR. Eligible nominees may include those who have led impactful community-based AMR initiatives; contributed to education, policy, or public health solutions; or advanced research or innovation using a One Health lens. Self-nominations are encouraged.

Nominations are open until 30 September 2025, and the winner will be announced on 18 November 2025, during World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week.

Celebrating a legacy of Caribbean leadership

Dr. McLennon-Miguel passed away in July 2023 after a battle with cancer, but her influence continues to shape public health in the Caribbean. She led animal health responses during the 2021 volcanic eruption in St. Vincent and served as a food safety specialist at the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) in Suriname.

Her impact extended beyond science and policy. In Jamaica, she created “Doc Sue’s Happy Rooms”—colorful spaces in hospitals where sick children could play, learn, and dream. “It’s more than a playroom,” she said. “It’s a place where children can start dreaming of what they want to be in the future.”

The awardee will be invited to PAHO’s Headquarters in Washington, D.C. for meetings with regional experts, participation in strategic AMR discussions, and the opportunity to showcase their work. They will also receive a commemorative plaque.

“AMR threatens lives across the Caribbean, from routine infections to critical treatments like cancer care,” said Pilar Ramon-Pardo, Chief, Antimicrobial Resistance Special Program at PAHO. “This award celebrates Dr. McLennon-Miguel’s legacy by recognizing leaders who are building a healthier future.”

A panel of experts from PAHO and international partners will select the winner based on impact, innovation, collaboration, and sustainable contributions to AMR efforts.

Why AMR matters

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites stop responding to the medicines used to treat them. This makes common infections harder—and sometimes impossible—to cure. In the Caribbean, AMR threatens everything from routine infections to surgeries and cancer care, placing decades of public health progress at risk.

PAHO is stepping up its efforts to combat AMR in the Caribbean by strengthening surveillance, expanding laboratory capacity, promoting responsible use of antibiotics, and fostering One Health partnerships. These efforts are supported by the UK Government’s Fleming Fund and new South-South cooperation initiatives.

By honoring leaders like Dr. McLennon-Miguel, this award aims to inspire bold action to curb superbugs and safeguard the region’s health.

Download the nomination form (PDF) and read the full call for nominations (PDF).

For questions or to submit a nomination, please contact Franka Des Vignes at desvigfra@paho.org or Nathalie El Omeiri at elomeirin@paho.org, using the subject line: Suzan McLennon-Miguel Award nomination.

Links

Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance in the Caribbean – PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

September 6, 2025 – In a dramatic escalation along the southern Caribbean, U.S. forces on September 2 launched a military strike on a boat allegedly carrying illicit narcotics from Venezuela.  Officials say the strike killed 11 members of the Tren de Aragua cartel, which the U.S. has designated a terrorist organization, part of a broader “war on narco-terrorism” tied to the deadly spike in fentanyl and other drug deaths among Americans.

Within CARICOM ranks, reactions were deeply divided.  Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, voiced unequivocal support—saying drug traffickers “should be killed violently,” citing the nation’s struggle against cartel-driven violence and addiction.

Conversely, Barbados Foreign Minister Kerrie Symmonds and other regional diplomats expressed reservations about the U.S. operation’s legality, calling for greater diplomatic coordination and transparency to prevent further destabilization.

On the U.S. domestic front, Democratic lawmakers demanded answers.  Many were excluded from a scheduled briefing, fueling concerns over executive overreach.  Critics questioned the legality of a lethal strike in international waters without Congressional approval, warning of constitutional and international law violations.

A former Biden administration official, Juan González, also warned that the U.S. risks becoming entangled in a “disastrous” intervention in Venezuela—a conflict scenario more complex than past U.S. operations in the region.

In response to mounting regional pressure, the U.S. is ramping up its military presence.  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed continued operations against narco-terrorists.  The Pentagon has deployed ten F-35 stealth fighter jets to Puerto Rico as part of a broader naval and air buildup.  Senator Marco Rubio echoed the aggressive stance, stating more such strikes “will happen again.”

Meanwhile, Venezuela denounced the strike and dismissed U.S. claims as fabricated.  Venezuelan officials pointed to the video evidence released by President Trump as misleading or manipulated.

What’s at Stake:

• International law & sovereignty: Experts have questioned the legality of using lethal military force against suspected traffickers on the high seas without clear legal justification.
• CARICOM unity: The divided responses highlight deeper tensions over U.S. security policy and Caribbean sovereignty.
• Escalating militarization: The strike signals how Washington is blending drug interdiction with geopolitical pressure on Caracas, setting the stage for ongoing regional friction.

As Washington defends the strike as necessary for protecting American lives against a fentanyl-fueled crisis, Caribbean leaders worry the fallout may bring greater instability, not safety.

PHOTOS: Screenshots from U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) video

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Turks and Caicos, September 6, 2025 – Haitian citizens living legally in the Turks and Caicos Islands, who for years have quietly traveled to Nassau for their U.S. visa interviews without controversy, could now find themselves caught in the crossfire of a diplomatic storm.

On September 4, the U.S. State Department announced that all Haitian immigrant visa processing would be moved from Port-au-Prince to the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, effective November 1. Washington said the decision was driven by worsening instability in Haiti and the inability of its embassy there to safely operate.

That explanation is not without evidence. On July 28, the U.S. ordered the evacuation of non-emergency diplomatic staff and family members from Port-au-Prince, warning all American citizens to leave Haiti amid rising gang violence. On August 6, the embassy was forced to temporarily close after gunfire erupted near its Tabarre compound, resuming service only once the immediate danger subsided. By August 31, the situation was so dire that the U.S. deployed Marines to Haiti, confirming that a security contingent was sent to strengthen the embassy, protect facilities, and assist with troop rotations. A UN report noted that more than 1,500 people were killed in gang-related violence between April and June alone, underlining the deteriorating conditions.

Against this backdrop, the State Department’s relocation of visa processing may seem logical. Yet the choice of Nassau as the new venue has sparked outrage in The Bahamas. Prime Minister Philip Davis’s government insists it was not consulted and rejects the idea of becoming a visa hub for Haitian citizens. Officials have been explicit that Haitian citizens will not be permitted to enter The Bahamas solely for the purpose of attending U.S. visa appointments.

That stance carries immediate consequences for Haitian citizens in Turks and Caicos. To visit The Bahamas, they must hold a Bahamian visitor visa. If Nassau enforces its refusal, then even those legally resident in TCI could suddenly lose access to their long-standing consular route — a quiet arrangement that has functioned for years without issue.

The controversy also raises a question: why Nassau and not Santo Domingo? The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, has greater capacity, and already hosts a sizeable Haitian population. But strained relations between the two countries, coupled with Santo Domingo’s recent mass deportations and a politically charged border crackdown, may have made it an unattractive or unworkable option for Washington.

For Bahamians, however, the optics are galling. Already grappling with irregular migration from Haiti, they see the U.S. decision as an imposition that disregards national sovereignty. Davis’s administration argues the move would create a de facto transit pipeline the country neither requested nor supports.

Lost in much of the uproar is the nuance: Haitian applicants traveling from Turks and Caicos have long relied on Nassau as their nearest U.S. consular post. That practice was manageable and largely unnoticed. What is new — and politically explosive — is the wholesale relocation of all Haitian visa cases to Nassau, thrusting the Bahamian government into a role it is unwilling to play.

Unless Washington reconsiders its plan or Nassau shifts its hardline stance, Haitian citizens in Turks and Caicos — once able to quietly secure U.S. visa interviews in the Bahamian capital — may find themselves stranded, locked out by the very visitor visa requirement that until now was just a formality.

Caption: Photo of US Embassy in Haiti