Officer on Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance, AMR Special Program, Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director, CARPHA, Dr.
Natalie Wright, Head of UK Overseas Territories Programme and CARA project lead at the UK Health Security Agency, Dr.
Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, Assistant Director, PAHO, Dr Pilar Ramon-Pardo, PAHO Chief Antimicrobial Resistance Special
Program, Dr Colin Brown, UKHSA Head of AMR, Dr. Gabriel Gonzalez Escobar, Head, CARPHA Medical Microbiology
Laboratory.
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On May 6, 2025, health leaders and partners gathered in Barbados to launch two major projects to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the Caribbean.
The projects are funded by the UK’s Fleming Fund and led by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
AMR happens when germs evolve and medicines that worked before don’t work anymore.
In 2019, AMR directly caused over a million deaths and played a part in nearly five million more—more than HIV/AIDS and malaria combined. Caribbean countries face extra challenges like limited lab facilities and slow transport.
The first project, led by PAHO, will improve microbiology labs in ten countries and upgrade Barbados’ Best-dos-Santos Public Health Lab. The second project, called the Caribbean Antimicrobial Resistance Alliance (CARA), is a joint effort between UKHSA and CARPHA. It aims to boost lab services in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Saint Lucia, and create a digital AMR tracking system across the region.
Health officials emphasized the need for urgent action. They said the projects will improve surveillance, promote smarter use of antibiotics, and strengthen local expertise. Dr. Lisa Indar from CARPHA stressed that AMR is one of the most serious threats to Caribbean health, and strong regional coordination is key.
The UK’s Fleming Fund is the world’s largest program helping low- and middle-income countries track and fight AMR. It funds training, equipment, and lab improvements in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.
The Fleming Fund is named after Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin, and not by Ian Fleming, the James Bond author, who had a home in Jamaica.
Barbados’ Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kenneth George, welcomed the support and noted the country’s progress. He said the Best-dos-Santos lab is already a regional influenza center and could soon gain similar status for AMR.
These projects aim to protect the public, improve healthcare decisions, and build long-term strength against future health threats.
Source: Handout.
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