October 2, 2026
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the World Bank (WB) will partner to operationalise the Heads of Government-mandated CARICOM Digital Health Strategy.
This significant outcome emerged from the Fifty-Third Meeting of the CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD)—Health, convened 25–26 September 2026 in Washington under the theme “Transforming Caribbean Health: Resilience, Innovation and Regional Action.”
The IDB, WB, and PAHO commitments came as Ministers reaffirmed the mandate to develop a CARICOM Digital Health Strategy through a CARICOM-led, Member State-driven process. Ministers underscored the importance of digital health in transforming health systems, including stronger service delivery, primary health care, workforce management, public-health surveillance, civil registration, health financing, and evidence-informed decision-making.
They emphasised that the Strategy must build on existing regional and national frameworks, systems, and investments, ensuring Member States remain central to its development. CARICOM Health Ministers also discussed practical approaches to universal health coverage, sustainable financing, and opportunities for regional cooperation, with further commitments from the World Bank, PAHO, and UWI-HEU to support these efforts.
Leadership and Participation
Hon. Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness of Belize, served as Acting Chair on day one, with Hon. Dr Frank Anthony, Minister of Health of Guyana and current COHSOD Chair, assuming the role on day two.
The meeting brought together CARICOM Ministers of Health, Permanent Secretaries, Chief Medical Officers, national health officials, and representatives from regional institutions and partners, including the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), The University of the West Indies (UWI), and the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC). International partners such as the Global Fund and PAHO/World Health Organization (WHO) also participated.
Commitments to Digital Health | Voices from the Meeting
In his opening remarks, Hon. Kevin Bernard highlighted Belize’s progress in digital health: “In Belize, our gains in strengthening health information systems have reinforced the importance of reliable information for service delivery, planning and decision-making. We now have an opportunity to bring national experiences together to shape a regional strategy that supports practical improvements in care, equips our health workers and strengthens our capacity to respond to emerging challenges.” Please read his complete speech here.
Ms Alison Drayton, CARICOM’s Assistant Secretary-General for Human and Social Development, reinforced the centrality of digital health: “Digital health must be central to [the regional health system] transformation. Our citizens and health professionals move across borders. Public-health threats do the same. We therefore need systems that support continuity of care, timely surveillance and secure exchange of health information across the Community.” Please read her complete speech here.
Together, leaders articulated a clear vision for the future: a Caribbean health architecture that is more connected, resilient, equitable, and sustainable. As Ms Drayton concluded: “Where a Caribbean citizen lives should not determine whether they can access timely, quality health care; our small size should become a reason to integrate rather than a constraint on what we can provide.”