CARPHA delegation visits Haiti to strengthen public health cooperation
Key Points(5)
- Haiti’s Health Minister Bertrand Sinal has held talks with a delegation from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) as the country seeks to strengthen regional cooperation in responding to major public health threats.
- The CARPHA delegation visited Haiti from Aug.
- 23 to 25 for a mission focused on exchanging expertise and assessing the country’s capacity to prepare for and respond to public health risks.
- The delegation, led by CARPHA Executive Director Dr.
- Lisa Indar, also included Dr.
Haiti’s Health Minister Bertrand Sinal has held talks with a delegation from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) as the country seeks to strengthen regional cooperation in responding to major public health threats.
The CARPHA delegation visited Haiti from Aug. 23 to 25 for a mission focused on exchanging expertise and assessing the country’s capacity to prepare for and respond to public health risks.
The delegation, led by CARPHA Executive Director Dr. Lisa Indar, also included Dr. Mark Sami and Dr. Horace Cox. During meetings in Cap-Haïtien, the officials discussed Haiti’s existing health capabilities, challenges facing the sector and areas where additional regional support could be provided.
Sinal was joined by Health Ministry Director General Dr. Gabriel Thimothe and several central and departmental directors.
The health minister acknowledged the significant difficulties facing Haiti’s health system but said the country also has experienced professionals and institutions that can help strengthen its response to crises.
“We are receiving the delegation at a time when the country is going through great difficulties. We have no intention of hiding our challenges. We know the country’s weaknesses. We know the weaknesses of the system, its constraints, its needs, and the pressure that health professionals face daily,” Sinal said.
“But we also know its strengths. Haiti is a country brimming with potential, endowed with competent professionals, experienced institutions, and a population that consistently demonstrates its capacity to resist, recover, and move forward.”
As part of the mission, the CARPHA delegation visited several health facilities, including Justinien University Hospital and Sacré-Cœur Hospital in Milot.
The visits provided officials with an opportunity to examine the operation of Haiti’s epidemiological surveillance system and laboratories, as well as the health sector’s preparations for public health crises and emergencies.
The mission also underscored the importance of regional cooperation in addressing health threats that can spread across national borders.
Haitian health authorities said stronger Caribbean cooperation can facilitate information sharing, knowledge transfer and coordination among countries, particularly in preparing for and responding to emerging diseases and other public health emergencies.
Haiti has emphasized that differences in language and culture should not prevent deeper collaboration across the Caribbean, arguing that the region’s diversity can instead provide opportunities for countries to learn from one another and strengthen their collective response to health threats.
