Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. December 19, 2025. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), in collaboration with the World Bank, convened the 14th Meeting of the Regional Project Advisory Committee (RPAC) for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Regional Health Project on December 11-12, 2025, at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre. The OECS Regional Health Project aims to strengthen health systems, enhance disease surveillance, improve laboratory capacity, and support regional preparedness and response to public health threats within Small Island Developing States.
This meeting brought together participants from CARPHA, the World Bank, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, to review progress, share lessons learnt, and provide strategic guidance as the project advances toward its final phase of implementation. During the 14th session of the RPAC, participants from both CARPHA and the four (4) Member States, shared updates with the World Bank on key areas of implementation, including:
- strengthening surveillance and health information systems, specifically for potential disease outbreaks and climate risks
- advancements in laboratory systems and digital health solutions
- capacity-building initiatives
- financial and procurement performance
- sustainability planning and knowledge transfer as the project nears completion.
Dr Horace Cox, Director, Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control, CARPHA, and Chairman for this meeting, reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to supporting Member States, “through coordinated technical leadership, partnerships and innovation”.
Dr Lisa Indar, Executive Director, CARPHA, stated that the Agency remains “steadfast in strengthening the regional public health ecosystem, by enhancing laboratory systems, disease surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, health information systems and strategic communications”. Dr Indar, further reiterated, that “through sustained collaboration with our Member States and partners, CARPHA is focused on ensuring that investments made today, translate into resilient, integrated and sustainable health systems for the Caribbean”.
Mr Thulani Matsebula, Senior Health Economist and Task Team Leader, World Bank, commended participating entities for “the progress achieved under the OECS Regional Health Project”. He highlighted “the significant improvements in surveillance, laboratory systems and regional preparedness”. Mr Matesebula also emphasized that “the level of partnership under this project, has demonstrated the value of regional collaboration in addressing shared public health challenges”.
Dr Edit Velenyi, Senior Economist and Co -Task Team Leader, World Bank, stated that this phase of project implementation should focus on “emerging public health priorities and strategies that ensure the investments made under this project, continue to benefit Member States beyond the conclusion of financing from the World Bank”.
The RPAC serves as an important governance mechanism for the OECS RHP, providing oversight, guidance and alignment with national and regional health priorities. The 14th convening of this meeting highlights the shared commitment of partners, to strengthen health resilience among Small Island States by strengthening their preparedness for public health threats.
Visit https://carpha.org/Projects/Ongoing-Projects/OECS-Regional-Health-Project for more information on the OECS Regional Health Project.
-END-
Photo Captions:
Dr. Horace Cox, CARPHA Director, addresses participants at the 14th Meeting of the Regional Project Advisory Committee (RPAC) for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Regional Health Project in Port of Spain, Trinidad.