Geneva, 24 May 2016 (PAHO/WHO) - The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Carissa F. Etienne, met this afternoon with the Ministers of Health of the CARICOM, with the aim of studying a variety of subjects related to the organization and to its constituent countries.

At the meeting, various subjects related to the joint effort among the countries of the Caribbean and PAHO were addressed. The debate focused on policies and actions to tackle risk factors linked to the communicable diseases. The participants also exchanged opinions on the measures being implemented across the Caribbean to address the prevention, detection, and response to Zika virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses, such as dengue and chikungunya, among other issues.

The CARICOM (Caribbean community) has 15 full members, all of which are PAHO Member States. This meeting between CARICOM Health Ministers and the PAHO delegation takes place at each session of the World Health Assembly. On this occasion, the director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), James Hospedales, also took part.