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Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. 10 February 2025. On 5 February 2025, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has formalised a significant partnership with the Executive Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Health of Central America and the Dominican Republic (SE-COMISCA) through the signing of a five -year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This collaborative effort aims to foster deeper health synergies between Central America and the Caribbean.

The MOU was signed by Dr Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA and Dr. Alejandra Acuña Navarro, Executive Secretary of COMISCA, at the Courtyard Marriott in Trinidad.

Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA, stated "The Memorandum of Agreement between CARPHA and SE- COMSICA confirms our commitment to deepen solidarity to improve public health support, build stronger and closer relations, and coordinate on areas of mutual interest in advancing progress towards the achievement of tangible results of regional and international health agendas. This is important because the Caribbean faces a number of challenges, including climate change, chronic diseases, non-communicable diseases, and emerging and re- emerging health emergencies that can impact health security. By working together, CARPHA and SE-COMISCA can better address the challenges facing our regions and improve the lives of our people."

Dr. Alejandra Acuña, Executive Secretary of SE-COMISCA acknowledged “Today, we are witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Council of Ministers of Health of Central America and the Dominican Republic (SE-COMISCA) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). This strategic milestone in bi- regional cooperation will help to strengthen health systems in both regions. This agreement formalises the mutual commitment of both institutions to promote a comprehensive approach to public health. It also facilitates the implementation of joint initiatives in health surveillance, response to health emergencies, and the exchange of knowledge and best practices. In a global context where cooperation is key to facing emerging health challenges, this instrument establishes a framework for action that will favour the articulation of efforts, the optimisation of resources and the development of innovative projects and strategies that contribute to the well-being of the populations of both regions”.

In 2023, CARPHA led the launch of the Joint Sub-Regional Collaboration in Health with SE-COMISCA, to promote the exchange of knowledge, best practices and lessons learned to improve health. CARPHA facilitated a webinar series entitled ‘Sharing of Expertise, Experiences, and Lessons Learned to Improve Health Outcomes.’ The initiative was supported by the Spanish Agency for International Development (AECID) under the CARICOM Spain Project entitled ‘Health System Strengthening for CARICOM Member States to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic and other Emerging and Re-Emerging Threats’.

The purpose of this MOU is to improve collaboration and dialogue between CARPHA and SE-COMISCA on public health to advance the objectives of the Revised SICA-CARICOM Plan of Action 2022 and the Joint Declaration of San Pedro, IV Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and of the Central American Integration System (SICA).

Bringing remarks virtually Dr. Armstrong Alexis, Deputy Secretary-General, CARICOM stated “This symbolic ceremony signifies the commitment to enhance interagency partnerships for public health services delivery in the Caribbean. Through the Agency’s dedicated efforts, citizens of this region have derived considerable benefits from interventions that have increased our stock of regional public goods. Signing this MOU sets the basis for further solidifying the significant role that CARPHA plays in strengthening health systems across our interconnected yet vulnerable region.”

Delivering remarks, Her Excellency María Cristina Pérez Gutiérrez, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to Trinidad and Tobago stated “Spain has made health a central pillar of our engagement with both the Caribbean and Central America, and we continue to work alongside our partners to ensure that no one is left behind. This initiative to link CARPHA and SE-COMISCA comes at a crucial time, as it creates an opportunity to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and enhance regional cooperation in public health.”

Under this agreement, CARPHA and SE-COMISCA are committed to collaborating on several key initiatives. The organisations will seek to:

• Strengthen immediate and long-term public health support for improved pandemic preparedness, response and disease prevention.
• Enhance the benefits derived from the procurement of drugs and other sanitary technologies in the ministries and other institutions of health in the Member States of COMISCA and CARPHA. This will be achieved by promoting the use of pool procurement mechanisms with competitive pricing such as the "Negociación Conjunta COMISCA®".
• Dialogue and exchange of best practices on existential health threats such as AMR, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially heart disease, obesity, and cancer; Communicable diseases, especially HIV, Malaria and Tuberculosis; and the promotion of joint strategies for the development and strengthening of health sectors.
• Support the results of the 2023 UN Declaration on Universal Health Coverage, to promote the fight against these diseases and seek support for actions aimed at achieving global consensus in this area, to attain tangible results by the international community.
• Develop and disseminate a Technical Annual Report on the CARPHA and SE-COMISCA Joint Collaboration in Health.

The Honourable Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness of Belize remarked “Today’s signing marks a pivotal step in regional collaboration. By uniting the Caribbean and Central America, we enhance our collective ability to tackle public health challenges, ensure access to essential medicines and building resilient health systems. Together, we are committed to advancing health equity, securing a healthier future for our regions.”

“The purpose of this MOU is to foster improved collaboration and dialogue between CARPHA and SE-COMISCA, advancing the objectives of the Revised SICA-COMISCA Plan of Action and the Joint Declaration of San Pedro. By working together, we aim to deepen solidarity for pandemic preparedness, enhance procurement mechanisms, and exchange best practices on critical health threats,” stated The Honourable Phillip Telesford, Chair of CARPHA’s Executive Board and Minister of Health, Wellness and Religious Affairs, Grenada.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Román Cordero Mojica, Project Portfolio Unit, SE-COMISCA stated, “I am confident that the work of both institutions will be strengthened by today’s definitions and that this will benefit the health and wellbeing of the people of Central America and the Caribbean.”

Ahead of the signing the SE-COMISCA team visited CARPHA’s Headquarters and met with CARPHA’s Executive Management and technical teams to discuss technical areas including Disease Risk Management, HIV, Research, and Laboratory. The visiting team also toured the CARPHA Medical Microbiology Laboratory.