By Lindsay Thompson, BIS

#TheBahamas, May 2, 2023 – The Bahamas welcomed more than 200 delegates to the 67th Caribbean Public Health Agency’s (CARPHA) Annual Health Research Conference at the Official Opening Ceremony, Atlantis, Paradise Island, April 27, 2023.

The two-day conference, under the theme, ‘Caribbean Health and Tourism: Pathways to Recovery and Resilience,’ has in this instance resumed ‘in-person’ forum since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister the Hon. Philip Davis, KC, gave a keynote address (recorded, as he is out of the country), titled: ‘Health is Wealth: The Role of Wellness in the National Development of The Bahamas’. The opening ceremony was also addressed by Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director, CARPHA; and the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister of Health and Wellness, who delivered welcome remarks.

Dr. Darville said: “After months of joint team planning, coordinating and preparation meetings, it is my privilege to welcome you to the 67th  Caribbean Public Health Agency’s (CARPHA) Annual Health Research Conference, hosted here in Nassau, Bahamas, at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort.”

He observed that the COVID-19  pandemic  has  allowed  for the appreciation of technological advancements that permitted people to remain connected across closed borders, and recognize that we have the capabilities to adjust as necessary to ensure that partnerships continue.

“These technological advancements speak to our abilities to pivot and employ progressive modalities to ensure that the important work of health   research  and  of  health  data  and  information  sharing remains uninterrupted,” he said.

Most countries represented at CARPHA, have in common the challenges and opportunities of the impacts of health and tourism on their respective economies.

It is further recognized that any successful initiative to promote health and wellness among both locals and visitors in a manner that secures and protects continued economic growth, must incorporate a multi-sectoral approach.

In this vein, Dr. Darville said that Caribbean governments should strive to ensure that both residents and visitors have equitable access to healthcare services, safe food and water resources and proper environmental and sanitation standards.

“Member states can have the finest tourist, agricultural or financial products to offer, but if our people are unwell or if their basic health needs are compromised then the expected progress for nations will not be realized,” he said.

He implored the health professionals, researchers, policymakers, lecturers, students and other participants, that as they communicate, connect and collaborate throughout this 67th Annual Research Conference, “to remember that it is the mandate of the health community to use evidence-based research to promote the health and wellness of the people of this region and to provide policy recommendations and program activities that would help in guiding a country’s development and sustainability.”

Dr. Darville thanked CARPHA for its continued dedicated service to the region, specifically for the leadership of Dr. Joy St. John.

“Through the implementation of health and wellness programs, access to health and laboratory resources, training opportunities, strategic and technical advice, CARPHA remains a strong voice in the response to regional public health matters.”

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is the new single regional public health agency for the Caribbean.  It was legally established in July 2011 by an Inter-Governmental Agency signed by (CARICOM), the Caribbean Community Member States, and began operation in January 2013. The Agency rationalizes public health arrangements in the region by combining the functions of five Caribbean Regional Health Institutes (RHIs) into a single agency.

The CARPHA Annual Health Research Conference is a platform for showcasing ongoing research to help Caribbean people better understand the intricate linkages between tourism and health.

As an advocate for Caribbean Research, although CARPHA has thematic areas of focus annually, the research committee accepts all research, which adds value to the further development of policy initiatives. This is also a space for networking and gaining insight into the topics of the featured lectures, or of businesses that exhibit.

CARPHA will continue its tradition of awarding Caribbean excellence in health research at the conference. A special banquet will be held to honour awardees on Friday, April 28, 2023.

PHOTO CAPTIONS

BIS Photos/Patrick Hanna

Header: The Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister of Health and Wellness addressing the Official Opening Ceremony of the Caribbean Public Health Agency’s (CARPHA) Annual Health Research Conference in the Imperial Ballroom of   Atlantis Resort, Thursday, April 27, 2023 and Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director of Caribbean Public Health Agency, addressing the Official Opening Ceremony of the Caribbean Public Health Agency’s Annual Health Research Conference in the Imperial Ballroom of Atlantis Resort, Thursday, April 27, 2023.

Insert: Colour Guard of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force paraded the National Flag of The Bahamas, CARICOM, and CARPHA during the Official Opening Ceremony of the Caribbean Public Health Agency’s Annual Health Research Conference in the Imperial Ballroom of Atlantis Resort, Thursday, April 27, 2023.