Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. July 17, 2026. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) successfully concluded a five-day technical mission to the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) from 13–17 July 2026 under the CARPHA Integrated Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Programme. The mission reinforced CARPHA’s commitment to strengthening laboratory systems, AMR surveillance and regional health security across the Caribbean.
The multidisciplinary CARPHA delegation comprised Mr Mohamed Elsherbiny, Senior Technical Advisor, Office of the Executive Director and Head of the CARPHA Integrated AMR Programme; Dr Gabriel Gonzalez Escobar, Assistant Director, Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control, and Head of the CARPHA Medical Microbiology Laboratory (CMML); and Ms Megan Bardsley, Epidemiologist, CARPHA Integrated AMR Programme.
The visit included engagements with the Ministry of Health, the National Epidemiology and Research Unit (NERU), the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL), TCI Hospital, hospital laboratory services, Infection Prevention and Control teams and national stakeholders involved in antimicrobial resistance. The team conducted a comprehensive assessment of laboratory infrastructure, equipment, workforce, governance, biosafety, data systems and AMR surveillance, while also reviewing tuberculosis referral pathways and pandemic preparedness capacities.
The assessment recognised the strong collaboration between CARPHA and the TCI National Public Health Laboratory, which has supported confirmation testing for priority pathogens and, more recently, the successful installation and implementation of the MolBio mobile testing platform. Building on this partnership, the mission identified opportunities to further strengthen diagnostic capacity, improve laboratory efficiency, enhance biosafety and biosecurity practices, expand antimicrobial susceptibility testing and molecular diagnostics, and improve reporting of AMR data.
The mission also explored opportunities to strengthen specimen referral pathways within the CARPHA laboratory network, including enhanced collaboration with the Jamaica laboratory, ensuring that the Turks and Caicos Islands has access to specialised regional testing and reference laboratory services.
Dr Lisa Indar, Executive Director CARPHA stated, "Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats to public health. Strengthening laboratory systems and surveillance is fundamental to ensuring timely detection of resistant pathogens and evidence-based action. We are encouraged by the commitment shown by our colleagues in the Turks and Caicos Islands and look forward to supporting implementation of the recommendations developed during this mission".
CARPHA will continue working closely with the Ministry of Health and Human Services and national partners to develop a phased implementation plan, facilitate technical assistance and strengthen integration of the Turks and Caicos Islands into the regional AMR surveillance network.
About CARPHA's Integrated AMR Programme
The CARPHA Integrated AMR Programme supports Member States to strengthen laboratory capacity, surveillance systems and coordinated responses to antimicrobial resistance through technical assistance, workforce development, laboratory networking and regional collaboration, contributing to improved health security across the Caribbean.
Photo Captions:
Photo Caption: (L-R) Daisylyn May Chin, Biostatistician, NERU, Merissa A. Garraway‑Miller, Acting Director, National Public Health Laboratory, Sasha Walrond, National Epidemiologist, Dr Gabriel Gonzalez Escobar, Assistant Director,
Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control, and Head of the CARPHA Medical Microbiology Laboratory (CMML), Honourable Kyle Knowles, Minister of Health & Human Services, TCI, Mohamed Elsherbiny, Senior Technical Advisor, CARPHA, Megan Bardsley, AME Epidemiologist CARPHA and Marian George, Chief technologist NPHL.
Photo Caption: CARPHA’s Dr Gabriel Gonzalez Escobar, Assistant Director, Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control and Mohamed Elsherbiny, Senior Technical Advisor are flanked by participants of the CARPHA Integrated Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Programme.
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