SAINT Lucia’s Minister for Health, Mary Isaac, on August 24 visited the Environmental Health and Sustainable Development (EHS) Department of CARPHA, located at Morne Fortune, Castries.
Minister Isaac’s visit there coincided with a courtesy call by Dr. Virginia Asin-Oostburg, the newly-appointed Director for Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control; Dr. Carlene Radix, Head of the OECS Health Desk; and Dr. Kimberly Ashby-Mitchell, Senior Technical Officer, OECS Health Desk.
The work programme of the EHS, the link between health and the environment, and areas of collaboration for interventions were topics of discussion during the visit with members of staff at the department’s office. Other topics on the agenda included solid and liquid waste management, water security, sanitation and health, recreational water quality and air quality management.
Dr. Horst Vogel, Head of the Caribbean Aqua-Terrestrial Solutions (CATS) programme, outlined the Ridge to Reef approach to natural resources management, pollution prevention and the investments in the water sector in the six participating CARPHA Member States.
The meeting agreed that working closely with the OECS Health Desk will provide the opportunity for enhanced traction in the sub-region which consists of nine CMS. The meeting also recognised that the need for continued and new partnerships with regional and international organisations for mobilisation of resources for health and environmental interventions is key to the success and sustainability of actions.
