The annual PAHO subregional managers meeting for the Caribbean was held in St. George's Grenada at the Grenada Grand Beach Hotel during the period February 6-10, 2012. It was attended by PAHO/WHO representatives from the Caribbean subregion and managers of PAHO centers: CAREC, CFNI and the Caribbean HIV Office, PHCO as well as representatives from the Country Focus Support Unit, CFS.
Grenada, February 6 — 10, 2012 - The annual PAHO subregional managers meeting for the Caribbean was held in St. George's Grenada at the Grenada Grand Beach Hotel during the period February 6-10, 2012. It was attended by PAHO/WHO representatives from the Caribbean sub-region and managers of PAHO centers: CAREC, CFNI and the Caribbean HIV Office, PHCO as well as representatives from the Country Focus Support Unit, CFS.
{slideshow}150,480,300,n{/slideshow}
PAHO Director, Dr. Mirta Roses also attended the meeting. On Wednesday 8 February, the managers were addressed by Hon. Ann Peters, Minister of Health of Grenada, who highlighted the efforts of the Ministry of Health of Grenada in addressing the health needs of the Grenadian population and the progress that is being made. She said that Grenada has had no maternal deaths and no mother-to-child transmission of HIV over the past year. In introducing the Minister, Dr. Mirta Roses said that Honorable Peters is a champion of the regional health agenda. She said that Hon. Peters' attitude, discipline and commitment to results are very welcome and needed at this time for health institutions across the region.
The purpose of the Managers' Meeting was to include country and subregional perspectives into the construction of the corporate policy with regard to country focused cooperation, to collectively contribute to the decision and policy making process. Managers also examined the health situation and trends in the Caribbean with a view to optimizing and strengthening the PAHO technical cooperation in the sub-region. There were several Expected Results, among which were the following:
- Provide a report on the outcomes of the 2011 Caribbean Subregional Managers' Meeting and provide a retrospective analysis of issues and results of meetings over the past five years.
- Update on the role of PAHO/WHO in the global, regional and subregional context, including the perspectives of the countries in the current financial crisis and its impact on health.
- Update on the secretariat's policies and strategies for alliance building, in order to achieve global, regional and country goals.
Dr. Roses took the opportunity to make official visits to the national health authorities in Grenada. She visited the Prime Minister, Hon. Tillman Thomas; the Governor General, Sir Carlyle Glean; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Karl Hood and met with the Minister of Health, the Hon. Senator Ann Peters.
Dr. Roses had last visited Grenada in 2004, in the aftermath of hurricane Ivan when she interacted with the national authorities and the Agency for Reconstruction and Development. Grenada was again affected by hurricane Emily in 2005 and as such, its recovery response was to the effects of both hurricanes. Last week she revisited the St. George's General Hospital, the Princess Alice Hospital and the Richmond Home for the Elderly, all of which were badly affected and for which PAHO gave technical and financial support for their reconstruction. She commended the Grenadian Government for having successfully rebuilt the country after the hurricanes.
