Kingston, Jamaica. July 22, 2026. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) today officially launched its Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Regional Reference Laboratory in Jamaica, marking the completion of a rapid and critical transformative regional initiative to modernise CARPHA's regional laboratory referral network, expansion and enhanced accessibility for its services and strengthening antimicrobial resistance surveillance and diagnostic capacity across the Caribbean. This marks a major milestone in CARPHA's journey to strengthen its referral laboratory capacity as well as advance our collective response to one of the greatest public health challenges of our time—antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global health threat to with projections estimating 10 million deaths annually by 2050, emphasising the urgent need for a coordinated and comprehensive response. In the Caribbean, the fight against AMR is further complicated by limited surveillance systems, delays in diagnostics, restricted access to quality antimicrobials, overuse and misuse of antibiotics in animal and human populations. In this regard, CARPHA launched an integrated AMR programme in April 2025, which included expanding CARPHA’s regional referral capacities for AMR surveillance and response.
Dr. the Honourable Christopher Tufton, Minister of Health and Wellness of Jamaica, officially inaugurated the AMR laboratory, alongside Dr Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the British High Commission in Jamaica, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the UK Department of Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and other regional and international partners, demonstrating the continued commitment to strengthening Caribbean health security through collaboration.
Located within CARPHA's Medicines Quality Control and Surveillance Department (MQCSD), the new laboratory significantly enhances CARPHA's ability to detect, monitor and respond to antimicrobial resistance while expanding specialised microbiology and clinical diagnostic services for its 26 Member States.
Funded through the Fleming Fund and supported by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the UK Department of Health and Social Care under the Caribbean Antimicrobial Resistance Alliance (CARA), the laboratory reflects the strong partnership between regional and international organisations working together to address one of the world's most pressing public health threats.
The Jamaica laboratory completes CARPHA's strengthened regional network of referral laboratories across Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia and Jamaica, creating an integrated system that improves access to highquality laboratory services throughout the Caribbean. By strategically distributing testing capacity across the region, the network reduces sample transportation times, shortens turnaround times for critical diagnostics, strengthens disease surveillance and enables faster public health action.
Through significant UK investment across CARPHA's regional laboratory network, the Agency has modernised its laboratory infrastructure with advanced technologies including VITEK 2, VITEK MS Prime, BioFire multiplex PCR systems, GeneXpert molecular diagnostic platforms, laboratory refurbishment and workforce development. These enhancements support rapid pathogen identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and expanded diagnostic services for a wide range of infectious diseases.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA, said:
"Today's landmark launch represents the successful completion of a major investment in the Caribbean's public health infrastructure. Together, our laboratories in Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia and Jamaica now form a fully integrated regional referral laboratory network, enabling us to provide faster, more equitable access to specialised diagnostic services for all 26 CARPHA Member States. This is not simply an investment in laboratories—it is an investment in stronger surveillance, more effective outbreak response and a more resilient Regional Health System".
Dr Indar added that while antimicrobial resistance remains a key focus, the laboratory's expanded capabilities will strengthen CARPHA's response to a broad range of infectious disease threats and improve clinical diagnostic services throughout the Region.
Delivering the featured address, Dr. the Honourable Christopher Tufton, Minister of Health and Wellness of Jamaica, said: “ Jamaica has not been standing still in the face of antimicrobial resistance. For several years, the Ministry of Health & Wellness has been working with local, regional and international partners to strengthen our national response through surveillance, infection prevention and control, antimicrobial stewardship and public education. These efforts have included the promotion of responsible antibiotic prescribing, and public awareness campaigns encouraging Jamaicans to use antibiotics only when prescribed and to complete their full course of treatment. More recently, Jamaica hosted a regional Infection Prevention and Control and Antimicrobial Stewardship Workshop through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) under the Fleming Fund Programme, bringing together health professionals from across the Caribbean to strengthen the use of laboratory and surveillance data in guiding patient care and preventing the spread of resistant organisms”.
Andrew Bowden, Development Representative and Government Advisor at the British High Commission in Kingston, said: "The United Kingdom is proud to support this important initiative through the Fleming Fund, working in partnership with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the UK Department of Health and Social Care and CARPHA. Through this partnership, the UK has invested at least £480,000 (approximately J$105 million) towards laboratory equipment, refurbishment and the establishment of this facility, helping to strengthen the Caribbean's capacity to detect and respond to antimicrobial resistance. This is about more than modern laboratory infrastructure; it is about investing in people, skills and long-term partnerships that will improve patient care, strengthen disease surveillance and build a healthier, more resilient Caribbean. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with CARPHA and Caribbean governments to strengthen regional and global health security."
The launch builds on the momentum established in 2025, when CARPHA and its partners launched the Integrated AMR Programme under CARA to strengthen antimicrobial resistance surveillance, laboratory systems and workforce capacity across the Caribbean. Since then, CARPHA has expanded laboratory infrastructure, enhanced surveillance systems, strengthened regional technical expertise and improved access to high-quality diagnostic services for Member States.
As the Caribbean's sole regional public health agency, CARPHA reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all Member States, regardless of size or national capacity, have equitable access to specialised laboratory services, while continuing to work with regional and international partners to strengthen health security and address current and emerging public health threats.
Photo Captions:
Photo Caption: (L-R) Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, Chief Medical Officer, Ministry of Health and Wellness Jamaica, Andrew Bowden, Development Representative and Government Advisor at the British High Commission, Dr. the Honourable Christopher Tufton, MP, Minister of Health and Wellness Jamaica, Mohamed Elsherbiny, Senior Technical Officer, Office of the Executive Director, CARPHA and Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director, CARPHA following the unveiling of the commemorative plaque at the launch of the AMR Referral Laboratory in Jamaica.
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