Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. November 4, 2026. In commemoration of the 11th Annual One Health Day, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) joins the global community in recognising the importance of the One Health approach and reaffirming its commitment to strengthening regional health security through coordinated action across the human, animal and environmental health sectors.
Observed annually on November 3, One Health Day raises awareness of the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health and recognised the importance of collaborative, multisectoral approaches to prevent, detect and respond to shared health threats.
For the Caribbean, adopting a One Health approach is not simply a priority; it is essential to regional health security. As a region comprising predominantly Small Island Developing States (SIDS), with porous borders, high population mobility, frequent mass gatherings and economies heavily reliant on tourism, agriculture and international trade, the Caribbean faces unique vulnerabilities to emerging infectious diseases, foodborne illnesses and zoonotic threats. These challenges demand strengthened surveillance, laboratory capacity, early warning systems and collaboration across sectors and national boundaries, tailored to our Caribbean context.
In CARPHA’s One Health Day video, Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA, highlighted, “This One Health Day serves as a reminder that diseases can spread across the farm to fork continuum, from animals to environments to human; they do not respect bordered. Protecting the health of Caribbean communities thus requires a One Health approach of integration, collaboration and coordination across human, animal and environmental health sectors to track and mitigate diseases.”
CARPHA has a longstanding history of advancing integrated disease surveillance in the Caribbean, building on regional surveillance approaches established as early as 2003. Since then, the Agency has continued to expand these efforts, working alongside Member States and regional and international partners to advance the One Health agenda and strengthen capacities for the prevention, preparedness and response to foodborne diseases, zoonoses and emerging public health threats. Through its Pandemic Fund Project, CARPHA has made significant progress in translating the One Health approach into practical regional and national action. Significant progress is being made across epidemiological surveillance, laboratory systems, digital information sharing, workforce capacity and multisectoral coordination, strengthening the region’s ability to identify and respond to threats that cross the boundaries of human, animal and environmental health. Key areas of progress include:
- Advancing integrated surveillance and digital systems: A significant milestone in the Region’s One Health advancement is the development and implementation of CARPHA's Regional Integrated Early Warning and Surveillance System (RIEWSS), including its Foodborne Diseases and Zoonoses (One Health) Surveillance Module. Designed to bring together human, animal, laboratory and environmental health surveillance information, the RIEWSS will strengthen information sharing, early warning, data analysis and coordinated outbreak responses. CARPHA is also advancing the pilot implementation of its Animal Health Surveillance Module in collaboration with national veterinary authorities, strengthening the foundations for integrated animal and human health surveillance.
- Strengthening epidemiological surveillance and early warning: CARPHA continues to support Member States in monitoring foodborne disease trends, identifying unusual patterns of illness and strengthening the detection and investigation of priority foodborne and zoonotic diseases. These efforts improve situational awareness, facilitate timely risk assessment and support coordinated public health action.
- Enhancing laboratory surveillance and diagnostic capacities: CARPHA's laboratory networks support the detection and confirmation of priority foodborne pathogens and emerging zoonotic threats. Ongoing initiatives are strengthening laboratory reporting, diagnostic and referral arrangements, and the integration of laboratory results with epidemiological information. These efforts are essential to improving outbreak detection, identifying disease sources and informing evidence-based interventions.
- Strengthening regional partnerships and national capacities: Recognising that effective One Health implementation depends on sustained collaboration, CARPHA has convened two regional One Health Multidisciplinary Workshops since 2024, engaging representatives from 14 Member States and a broad network of regional and international agencies. These workshops have supported the development of Regional and National One Health Foodborne Diseases and Zoonoses Action Plans, the establishment of multisectoral coordination mechanisms, and the strengthening of outbreak preparedness through CARPHA's Tingua One Health simulation exercises.
CARPHA continues to facilitate technical engagement among Member States and partners through the One Health Multisectoral Steering Committee, regular national One Health Action Plan follow-up meetings and digital information-sharing mechanisms. These platforms promote sustained collaboration among epidemiologists, veterinary professionals, laboratorians, environmental health officers, food safety authorities and other relevant stakeholders.
Building on this progress, CARPHA will convene its Third One Health Multidisciplinary Workshop on November 11–12, 2026, in Trinidad and Tobago. The workshop will focus on translating regional commitments into practical action, with emphasis on implementing integrated surveillance, using epidemiological and laboratory data for early warning, sharing national implementation experiences and strengthened multisectoral outbreak response.
Looking ahead to 2027, CARPHA will further advance the regional One Health agenda through its 71st Annual Health Research Conference, scheduled for 21–23 April 2027 in Grenada, under the theme “One Health.” Hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Grenada, and St. George’s University, the conference will provide a regional platform for researchers, policymakers, health professionals and partners to share scientific evidence, foster multisectoral collaboration and advance research-informed approaches to addressing health threats at the human, animal and environmental interface.
As the Caribbean continues to face the evolving risks of emerging infectious diseases, foodborne illnesses, zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance, CARPHA remains committed to advancing a coordinated, data-driven and sustainable One Health approach. On One Health Day 2026, CARPHA calls on Member States and regional partners to continue strengthening collaboration, investing in integrated surveillance and translating One Health commitments into practical action to protect the health of Caribbean people, animals and the environment.
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Photo Caption: CARPHA's 2nd One Health Workshop, Nov 2025
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