Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. 17 March, 2026. In early March, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) hosted a Regional Partners Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) at its Headquarters in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, bringing together key regional and international partners to strengthen collaboration and accelerate action on AMR across the Caribbean. The meeting, organised by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) through the Fleming Fund, provided a platform to align strategic priorities, review progress, and enhance coordination to support CARPHA Member States in building resilient AMR surveillance and laboratory systems.
Antimicrobial resistance remains one of the most pressing global public health threats, with significant implications for healthcare systems, food security, and economic stability. Caribbean countries face unique vulnerabilities, including limited laboratory capacity, workforce constraints, and the transboundary nature of infectious diseases. Strengthening integrated AMR surveillance and laboratory systems across human, animal, and environmental health sectors is critical to safeguarding regional health security and advancing pandemic preparedness efforts.
The meeting convened representatives from the Fleming Fund, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), alongside CARPHA technical teams. Participants included Nadav Lavi, Programme Manager, The Fleming Fund, Global Health Security and Strategy Team, Department of Health and Social Care; David O’Brien, Team Lead, Global Health IDRC; Kristina Osbjer, Director of Science, ICARS; and Dr. Pilar Ramon-Pardo, Chief of the Antimicrobial Resistance Special Program, Communicable Diseases Prevention, Control and Elimination, PAHO/WHO. Discussions focused on enhancing regional laboratory networks, advancing integrated AMR surveillance, supporting workforce development, and identifying opportunities for coordinated technical and financial support to Member States.
Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA, stated: “Antimicrobial resistance poses a serious and growing threat to health security in the Caribbean. Through strong partnerships with DHSC, the Fleming Fund, UKHSA, ICARS, and PAHO, CARPHA is strengthening regional capacity to detect, monitor, and respond to AMR in a coordinated and sustainable manner.”
She further noted: “This meeting reflects our shared commitment to supporting Member States through integrated surveillance, laboratory strengthening, and workforce development, ensuring that the Caribbean remains proactive and prepared to address current and emerging public health threats.”
Building on the outcomes of the meeting, CARPHA and its partners will continue to advance the implementation of regional AMR initiatives, including the expansion of laboratory services, enhancement of data sharing mechanisms, and strengthened One Health collaboration across Member States. The discussions will inform ongoing and future investments under the Fleming Fund and related global health security programmes to ensure sustained regional impact.
About The Fleming Fund:
The UK Department of Health and Social Care's Fleming Fund is the world’s single largest Official Development Assistance (ODA) investment in global AMR surveillance. It supports Low- and Middle-income countries (LMICs) across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean to use data for action on AMR, a leading global public health threat.
The Fleming Fund partners with global organisations to establish and strengthen AMR surveillance systems and support the generation of high-quality AMR data to change policies and clinical practice. This is achieved through a combination of country, regional, and global grants, and fellowships to improve laboratory infrastructure, staff capacity, and data collection and analysis capability.
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Photo Captions
CARPHA Executive Management Team, technical team and representatives from the Fleming Fund, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Group photo of regional partners who participated in the Antimicrobial Resistance Regional Partners Meeting remotely.