– The graduation ceremony brought together healthcare practitioners, partners, and Ministry officials to recognize the successful completion of an intensive training and certification programme.
The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition recently celebrated the graduation of thirteen healthcare professionals as certified rapid HIV and syphilis testers, marking a significant milestone in Saint Lucia’s national response to HIV/AIDS and the prevention of congenital syphilis.
The graduation ceremony brought together healthcare practitioners, partners, and Ministry officials to recognize the successful completion of an intensive training and certification programme.
The newly certified testers comprise of nurses, community health aides, and community liaison officers, all of whom are now equipped to deliver accurate, confidential, and compassionate HIV and syphilis testing services across the island.
During her remarks at the ceremony, Linda Berthier, Coordinator for the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) described the graduation as a major milestone in the collective journey towards improving health outcomes. “Over the course of this program, we have engaged in rigorous training, knowledge sharing, and practical assessments, all aimed at elevating our standards and ensuring that we meet international benchmarks for HIV and syphilis validation. This initiative reflects a shared vision, one rooted in the belief that accessible, accurate, and compassionate care is a fundamental right of every individual. It is also a testament to the hard working and dedicated technologists, healthcare professionals, partners, and supporters who unwaveringly commit themselves to inspire us and to lead us.”
Anthony Philgence, Financial Analyst at the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition, commended the graduates for their commitment and dedication throughout the training period, noting that the skills acquired are essential to the healthcare system. “You have learned not only the technical aspects of the rapid testing, but also the values that guides effective, compassionate, and ethical care. In doing so, you have demonstrated the spirit of service that our health sector deeply cherishes. This training prepares you to serve in the front lines, where early detection saves lives, accurate testing protects communities, and timely diagnosis can prevent the spread of infections. The work you do from this point forward will have a direct impact on individuals, families, and the entire community.”
The importance of the programme to national infectious disease response efforts was underscored by Dr. Gail Gajadhar, Senior Medical Officer within the Infectious Diseases Unit, who welcomed
the graduates as an extension of her team. “I look at you as part of the infectious diseases unit. We are a tiny unit with three persons in office and the SRH clinic with four persons at the clinic, and that’s minus a doctor. So let me add in the doctors, six persons at the clinic and when it comes to doing outreach, you would not believe the number of requests we get for outreach, and there are times when Nurse Berthier will tell you we actually have to say no because we do not have the bodies on the ground. But with you guys, and you guys are not going to be the only ones because we’re going to be training more people. Our one master trainer will now have four companions in the journey, so we’ll have four master trainers. So the 14 persons that we have will multiply.
The graduation of the thirteen healthcare professionals signals a strengthened national capacity to respond to HIV and syphilis through early detection, timely intervention, and patient-centered care.