Caribbean health programmes to get boost from Pandemic Fund

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is now eligible for the first disbursement of the World Bank’s Pandemic Fund.

The Pandemic Fund provides critical investments to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacities at national, regional, and global levels with a focus on low- and middle-income countries.

In July 2023, it was announced that CARPHA’s proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing.

It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project.

CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean cooperation in health, is mandated to support its 26 member states in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional responses to public health threats.

The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks to coordinate its public health response work.

CARPHA is expected to use the funds from the Pandemic Fund to start implementing their regional proposal, geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.