PAHO launches Caribbean award honoring Jamaican Veterinarian Suzan McLennon-Miguel
Key Points(5)
- Suzan McLennon-Miguel, a Jamaican veterinarian whose three-decade career spanned veterinary public health, disaster response, food safety, and AMR advocacy.
- Known affectionately as “Doc Sue,” she championed the One Health approach, which links human, animal, and environmental health in tackling complex challenges like AMR.
- PAHO is inviting nominations of individuals or organizations across the Caribbean who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to addressing AMR.
- Eligible candidates may include those who have led community-based initiatives, advanced education and policy solutions, or contributed to research and innovation.
- Self-nominations are welcome.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has introduced the Suzan McLennon-Miguel Caribbean Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Leadership Award, a new regional honor recognizing outstanding leadership in the battle against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a global health threat often described as the “silent pandemic.”
The award pays tribute to the late Dr. Suzan McLennon-Miguel, a Jamaican veterinarian whose three-decade career spanned veterinary public health, disaster response, food safety, and AMR advocacy. Known affectionately as “Doc Sue,” she championed the One Health approach, which links human, animal, and environmental health in tackling complex challenges like AMR.
PAHO is inviting nominations of individuals or organizations across the Caribbean who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to addressing AMR. Eligible candidates may include those who have led community-based initiatives, advanced education and policy solutions, or contributed to research and innovation. Self-nominations are welcome.
Nominations close on September 30, 2025, and the winner will be announced on November 18, 2025, during World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week. The awardee will be invited to PAHO’s Washington, D.C. headquarters for expert meetings, strategic AMR discussions, and an opportunity to present their work. A commemorative plaque will also be presented.
“AMR threatens lives across the Caribbean, from routine infections to critical treatments like cancer care,” said Pilar Ramon-Pardo, Chief of PAHO’s Antimicrobial Resistance Special Program. “This award celebrates Dr. McLennon-Miguel’s legacy by recognizing leaders who are building a healthier future.”
A legacy of Caribbean leadership
Dr. McLennon-Miguel, who passed away in July 2023 after a battle with cancer, left a lasting mark on public health in the region. She led animal health responses during the 2021 volcanic eruption in St. Vincent and worked as a food safety specialist at the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) in Suriname.
Her contributions extended beyond her professional career. In Jamaica, she created “Doc Sue’s Happy Rooms”—brightly decorated spaces in hospitals designed to give sick children a place to play, learn, and dream. “It’s more than a playroom,” she said. “It’s a place where children can start dreaming of what they want to be in the future.”
Why AMR matters
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites stop responding to medicines, making common infections increasingly difficult—and sometimes impossible—to cure. In the Caribbean, AMR threatens everything from routine treatments to surgeries and cancer care, placing decades of public health progress at risk.
PAHO is scaling up its efforts to combat AMR in the region by strengthening surveillance, expanding laboratory capacity, promoting the responsible use of antibiotics, and advancing One Health partnerships. These initiatives are supported by the UK Government’s Fleming Fund and new South-South cooperation efforts.
Through the new award, PAHO hopes to inspire bold action across the Caribbean to combat AMR while celebrating Dr. McLennon-Miguel’s enduring legacy.
