Caribbean Chief Health Officers Advocate for Region’s Inclusion in Pandemic Prevention Negotiations

Caribbean Chief Health Officers Advocate for Region’s Inclusion in Pandemic Prevention Negotiations

Caribbean chief health medical officers (CMOs) have emphasized the urgent need for the region’s full participation in ongoing negotiations aimed at developing a convention, agreement, or other instrument for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. To ensure that the region’s voice is heard in decision-making, the CMOs and other Caribbean public health stakeholders have put forth specific recommendations.

The Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretariat based in Guyana has issued a statement outlining the region’s positions, which were discussed during the Second Special Meeting of the Chief Medical Officers earlier this month. Acknowledging the unequal access to essential health commodities required for an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic among developed and developing states, the World Health Assembly (WHA) agreed in December 2021 that a legally binding convention, agreement, or other instrument, referred to as the accord, should be drafted to address prevention, preparedness, and response to future pandemics.

Although individual Caribbean member states have been participating in these negotiations, Caricom as a community of member states is still in the process of formulating a unified position on the proposed articles of the accord and representation in the negotiations. In order to bridge this gap, the recent meeting of Caribbean public health stakeholders sought to foster collaborative discussions among CMOs and devise a pathway to ensure the region’s concerns and recommendations are incorporated into the negotiations.

In addition to the pandemic preparedness accord, World Health Organization (WHO) member states are also engaged in negotiations to amend the International Health Regulations (IHR), which are legally binding. Simultaneously, governments are negotiating a political declaration of the United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response, which is planned for adoption in September 2023.

Over 46 regional public health stakeholders and representatives from Caribbean countries participated in the meeting, which was chaired by Dr. Julio Sabido, the chief executive officer in the Ministry of Health and Wellness of Belize. Following extensive discussions, the CMOs reiterated the importance of the region’s full participation in the ongoing negotiations and put forth specific recommendations to ensure the inclusion of the region’s voice in decision-making.

Alison Drayton, the Assistant Secretary General, Human and Social Development at the Caricom Secretariat, acknowledged the recommendations and assured that the Secretariat would respond with substantive proposals for a coordinating mechanism to achieve unified representation in the negotiations.

The advocacy for the Caribbean’s inclusion in pandemic prevention negotiations reflects the region’s commitment to effectively address and respond to future health crises. By actively participating in the development of a convention or agreement, the Caribbean aims to ensure that its unique challenges, perspectives, and recommendations are taken into account in the decision-making process. Through collaborative efforts and unified representation, the region hopes to contribute to the development of a comprehensive and inclusive framework that prioritizes preparedness and response to pandemics.