The director of the CARPHA (Caribbean Public Health Agency), Dr Joy St. John, paid an introductory visit to the Ministry of Health. Minister Amar Ramadhin, together with the Director of Health, Rakesh Gajadhar Sukul, held talks with her about the cooperation and support of the CARPHA. Suriname is one of the member states of the CARPHA.
The Caribbean Public Health Agency is the regional public health agency for the Caribbean. It was legally established in July 2011 by an intergovernmental agreement signed by the member states of the Caribbean Community and started functioning in January 2013. The agency rationalizes public health arrangements in the region by combining the functions of five Caribbean Regional Health Institutes (RHIs) into a single agency, namely: Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI), Caribbean Epidemiological Center (CAREC), Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI), Caribbean Health Research Council (CHRC) and Caribbean Regional Drug Testing Laboratory (CRDTL).
CARPHA brings these RHIs together as one strong force under a public health umbrella, under which issues requiring regional response can be addressed:
- Emergency measures in case of disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, floods),
- Monitoring and management of non-communicable diseases (NDCs) that have reached epidemic proportions, such as obesity, cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
- The surveillance and management of communicable diseases (CDs), including HIV AIDS; re-emerging diseases, such as tuberculosis related to HIV/AIDS; and new communicable diseases that are now endemic to the region
- The surveillance and prevention of injuries, violence and work-related illnesses.
- Contribution to global health agreements and compliance with international health regulations.
Minister Ramadhin is very grateful to CARPHA for the support that is offered and looks forward to further cooperation and strengthening of the bond with CARPHA. Training courses are offered on a regular basis from the CARPHA to the Ministry of Health in various medical-technical areas.