Bridgetown, Barbados, July 25, 2025 (PAHO) - Clinical experts from the Clinical Management Group of SARInet Plus, together with national counterparts, collaborated in conducting a technical workshop in Barbados to strengthen the preparedness of the health sector in the Eastern Caribbean for respiratory pandemics. The event, technically led by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), focused on enhancing the capacity to deliver lifesaving care during health emergencies while ensuring continuity of essential services.
The two-day workshop brought together Medical Directors and Senior ICU Nurses from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Participants shared country experiences, identified priority gaps in critical care, and defined competencies to inform upcoming training initiatives.
Sessions included country briefings on critical care challenges, thematic breakout discussions, and a visit to Ross University to explore simulation facilities. The key areas of focus included strengthening critical care surge planning, improving clinical protocols for severe respiratory infections, and reinforcing infection prevention and control (IPC) capacities.
This workshop forms part of the Pandemic Fund project “Strengthening Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Emerging Health Threats in the Eastern Caribbean”, implemented by PAHO in collaboration with FAO and the World Bank. The initiative contributes to strengthening International Health Regulations (IHR) core capacities, particularly in human resources for health, service delivery, and infection control.
By fostering interprofessional collaboration and aligning regional priorities, the workshop supports long-term efforts to build more resilient, responsive, and integrated health systems across the Eastern Caribbean.
Find out more about the Pandemic Fund in the Americas and this project here.
