Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. October 10, 2025. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), through its Medical Microbiology Laboratory (CMML), in collaboration with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and with support from the European Union, has successfully completed the training of twelve (12) CARPHA Member States in the Shipping of Infectious Substances, which was provided over a three-year period. This milestone supports CARPHA’s mandate to strengthen regional health security and advance biosafety and biosecurity practices across the Caribbean.
Over the course of the programme, more than 70 laboratory professionals and transportation personnel enhanced their technical expertise in the safe handling and transportation of hazardous substances. This has delivered tangible benefits for the Caribbean people, as participating laboratories and shippers of infectious substances are now better equipped to:
- Diagnose and respond to outbreaks more rapidly, ensuring timely advisories and interventions to protect communities.
- Safeguard health workers, transport personnel, and the general public from accidental exposure to hazardous and contagious materials.
- Meet international standards on safety, trade, and global health, strengthening global recognition of Caribbean laboratories and advancing accreditation processes.
“This training is a vital component of our ongoing efforts to strengthen regional health security,” said Dr. Lisa Indar, CARPHA’s Executive Director. “By expanding the number of trained professionals, CARPHA is helping ensure that biosafety and biosecurity practices are firmly in place across the Caribbean.”
The most recent and final cohort included participants from Aruba, Bermuda, and Curaçao, all of whom gained certification as Shippers of Infectious Substances under the CMML's Shipping of Infectious Substances course (SIST). Other CARPHA Member States that were trained include Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Belize, Bahamas, Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.
This most recent training session marks the successful completion of this activity funded through CARPHA’s partnership with the European Union under the 11th European Development Fund Programme of Support for Health Security Strengthening for Prevention and Control of Outbreaks of Communicable Diseases, which significantly advanced regional laboratory capacity and preparedness.
As the Caribbean’s collective response to evolving public health challenges, CARPHA continues to provide strategic direction and evidence-based approaches to promote health and wellness, prevent disease, strengthen surveillance, and support Member States in preparing for and responding to emergencies and threats. Its people-centred mandate also encompasses disaster response, communicable and non-communicable disease surveillance, injury prevention, and compliance with global health agreements, with a strong focus on building resilience and solidarity across the Caribbean Community.
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