![Healthcare providers at the graduation ceremony [Photo credit :MOH]](https://thevoiceslu.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Healthcare-providers-at-the-graduation-ceremony.jpg)
Recently, the country has enhanced its capacity to combat HIV and syphilis with the graduation of thirteen healthcare professionals who are now certified rapid testers.
This advancement significantly strengthens the nation’s response to these sexually transmitted infections.
Dr. Minerva King, an authority in Infectious Diseases, HIV/STI, and Sexual Health, is a key healthcare provider affiliated with Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Health and Wellness.
The graduation ceremony celebrated the certification of these thirteen healthcare professionals as rapid HIV and syphilis testers, hosted by the Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Nutrition. This certification represents a pivotal milestone in Saint Lucia’s national response to HIV/AIDS and the prevention of congenital syphilis.
The newly certified testers—comprising nurses, community health aides, and community liaison officers—are now fully equipped to provide accurate, confidential, and compassionate HIV and syphilis testing services across the island.
The graduation ceremony united healthcare practitioners, partners, and Ministry officials to commend the successful completion of an intensive training and certification program.
The Ministry of Health is confident that this initiative will significantly enhance its capacity to respond to HIV and syphilis through early detection, timely intervention, and patient-centered care.