Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 25 February 2026 (PAHO) – The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has collaborated with the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) to advance the country’s annual reporting under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005). The Ministry requested technical assistance from PAHO/WHO to support the completion of the States Parties Self‑Assessment Annual Reporting Tool (SPAR).
Dr Prabhjot Singh, PAHO/WHO Advisor, Health Surveillance Disease Prevention and Control, facilitated a 2-day SPAR workshop held 23-24 February 2026 in Kingstown.
Approximately 45 representatives from key national sectors participated in the training, including the Departments of Fisheries, Police, Veterinary, Customs, Environmental health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Senior legal Officer, Bureau of Standards and the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO). The Ministry of Health staff included the Quality Assurance Manager, Epidemiologist, Health Security, Senior Compliance Officer and senior staff from the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.
SPAR is a monitoring instrument used by all WHO Member States to assess progress in developing and maintaining critical public health capacities under the IHR 2005. The tool measures 15 capacities ranging from surveillance and laboratory systems to emergency response, zoonotic disease control, and border health, across 35 indicators designed to strengthen global health security.
The workshop was supported by the Pandemic Fund for Eastern Caribbean Countries.
About the Pandemic Fund project for ECC Countries
The project "Strengthening Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Emerging Health Threats in the Eastern Caribbean" project aims to reduce the burden of disease, prevent deaths, and minimize socioeconomic disruptions caused by public health emergencies by implementing a collaborative, One Health approach. Its four main areas of work reflect the Pandemic Fund’s priorities: strengthening surveillance, enhancing laboratory systems, and advancing workforce development.
The project "Strengthening Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Emerging Health Threats in the Eastern Caribbean" aims to reduce the burden of disease, prevent deaths, and minimize socioeconomic disruptions caused by public health emergencies by implementing a collaborative, One Health approach. The project is jointly implemented by three entities, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Bank, along with a diverse multisectoral collaboration that supports integrated action across human, animal, and environmental health.
