St. Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew held a bilateral meeting with Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) – Dr. Jarbas Barbisa da Silva over the discussion addressing violence, public health issues and the critical health challenges which are faced by the Small Island Developing States.
Considering this, PM Drew shared the glimpses of the meeting and expressed that he had the pleasure of meeting with Director of PAHO. He said that they had productive and insightful discussion, over important matters such as addressing the violence as a public health issue and tackling the critical health challenges that are faced by SIDS.
Reportedly, the meeting was an urgent need to fortify the public health systems across the SIDS which took the centre stage during the bilateral talks between the PM and the Minister of Health of St. Kitts and Nevis – Dr. Terrance Drew and Director of PAHO and WHO – Dr. Jarbas Barbisa da Silva, on Monday, September 30, 2024 at the PAHO Headquarters in Washington DC.
The bilateral meeting was held on the sidelines of the 61st PAHO Directing Council. It also highlighted the matter of gun violence, that PM Dr. Drew deemed as a serious public health crisis.
He gave the reference of the US Surgeon General and explained his perspective on addressing the violence and emphasised that St. Kitts and Nevis with CARICOM will look at crime and violence from a public health perspective.
Drew mentioned that CARICOM will place the issue on its agenda and will seek PAHO’s assistance in pushing it forward.
As per the sources, the discussions underscored the critical challenges such as climate-related health impacts, burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the need for improved healthcare infrastructure with an access to quality services.
PM Drew emphasised the necessity of resilience and said that the health is at the core of the nation’s development. It strengthened the health systems and ensured the well-being of the citizens. It also enhanced the ability to respond to the crises, especially when they face the growing threats posed by climate changes.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew highlighted the efforts of St. Kitts and Nevis to improve the healthcare delivery through digital health initiatives, by building a smart hospital, expanding healthcare training and partnerships which aimed at improving the disease prevention and control.
Drew stressed upon the importance of ongoing collaboration with PAHO in addressing the health inequalities and preparing the country for the emerging health threats.
Dr. Barbisa da Silva re-affirmed the commitment of PAHO to support the health agenda of the government. He said that PAHO will continue to provide the technical assistance in areas such as pandemic preparedness, universal health coverage and combating the growing prevalence of NCDs.
The Director acknowledged the strides made by St. Kitts and Nevis, considering the healthcare innovation and capacity building. This observed the efforts which are crucial to improve the overall health and well-being of the population.
Prime Minister Drew used the opportunity to call for stronger regional collaboration in tackling the shared health challenges of the Caribbean, focussing mainly on building resilient and inclusive health systems that leave no one behind.
The bilateral meeting held on Monday, marked a significant step in deepening the relationship between St. Kitts and Nevis and PAHO, with both parties agreeing upon the continued cooperation to advance the health and wellness agenda of the nation. Drew was joined in the meeting by the Chief Medical Officer of St. Kitts and Nevis – Dr. Hazel Laws.