Castries, Saint Lucia, 28-29 May 2026 - The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States - Pharmaceutical Procurement Service (OECS-PPS), will convene a Joint Planning Workshop aimed at improving access to safe, effective, and quality-assured medicines and health technologies for OECS Member States.
A key milestone of the two-day workshop, to be held in Saint Lucia from 28–29 May 2026, will be the formal launch of the PAHO/WHO–OECS Technical Working Group (TWG), which will guide coordinated efforts to strengthen access to medicines and health technologies in the Eastern Caribbean.
The meeting will bring together regional health leaders, procurement specialists, and technical experts from PAHO Regional Revolving Funds, including the PAHO Strategic Fund, as well as the OECS-PPS.
Participants will engage in working sessions to define priority action areas, including strengthening procurement and supply chain systems, improving demand forecasting and inventory management, supporting quality assurance, and enhancing the use of pooled procurement mechanisms to improve access to medicines and other health technologies.
“Access to essential medicines is fundamental to achieving universal access to health. Stronger partnerships mean stronger health systems. This joint effort with the OECS will help ensure that people across the Eastern Caribbean can rely on consistent access to the medicines and health technologies they need,” said Dr. Amalia Del Riego, PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries.
"The health of our people depends on the resilience of our systems, and this Technical Working Group is a defining step forward. Our partnership with PAHO/WHO deepens what the OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement Service has already built, strengthening our collective capacity to ensure that every person in the Eastern Caribbean has reliable access to the medicines they need," stated Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS.
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Eastern Caribbean continue to face persistent challenges in accessing affordable, quality medicines. These include limited market size, high logistics costs, vulnerability to supply chain disruptions, and recurring stockouts that impact treatment continuity and public health outcomes.
The Joint Planning Workshop will culminate in the development of a one-year action plan aimed at building more resilient supply chains capable of withstanding climate-related and other disruptions. It will also support efforts to modernize inventory management systems and improve the efficiency of procurement and distribution across OECS Member States.
This collaboration will leverage the complementary strengths of PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS, including the PAHO Regional Revolving Funds and the OECS pooled procurement mechanism, to support countries in improving access to essential medicines, laboratory commodities, diagnostics, and other health technologies.
The initiative aligns with broader regional efforts to improve pandemic preparedness and response, including improving access to laboratory supplies, diagnostics, and essential health commodities. The workshop is supported in part through a project funded by the Pandemic Fund, benefiting six independent OECS Member States.
About PAHO/WHO
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) works with the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of its population. Founded in 1902, it is the world’s oldest international public health agency. It serves as the Regional Office of WHO for the Americas and is the specialized health agency of the Inter-American system (OAS).
About OECS and OECS-PPS
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is an international intergovernmental organisation dedicated to fostering regional integration in the Eastern Caribbean. The Organisation's current vision is "A better quality of life for the people of the OECS," and its mission statement is, "To drive and support sustainable development through regional integration, collective action, and development cooperation."
The OECS was established on June 18, 1981, when seven Eastern Caribbean countries signed a treaty to promote cooperation, unity, and solidarity among the Members. This agreement became known as the Treaty of Basseterre, named after the capital city of St. Kitts and Nevis, where it was signed. The OECS now comprises twelve Member States, including the full Member States of Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. These full members are part of the Economic Union, benefiting from the free movement of people and goods. The British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Saint Martin are associate Member States.
