PAHO Director Meets with Jamaican Prime Minister
As part of an official visit to this country, which coincided with the holding of the Caribbean Sub-regional Managers’ Meeting, PAHO Director Dr. Mirta Roses Periago met with Jamaica’s Prime Minister, the Honorable Bruce Golding, at Jamaica House. Dr. Roses congratulated Jamaica on its work in the control of diseases such as malaria and restated the Organization’s commitment to assist with the Ministry of Health’s restructuring and the implementation of a health information policy that will inform decision-makers of how best to utilize resources.

Working to strengthen PAHO technical cooperation in the region, review progress made and ways forward for regional health strategies supported by the Organization.

The Prime Minister Hon. Bruce Golding gave the Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Roses, an update on Jamaica’s efforts to provide more health and social security services to the people that they serve.

Dr Roses Periago was accompanied by PAHO/World Health Organization’s (WHO) representative, Dr. Ernest Pate during her visit. The Minister of Health, Ruddy Spencer was also present, and the PAHO Chief of Staff, Ms. Catherine Cocco.

PAHO Caribbean Sub-regional Managers’ Meeting
[Kingston, Jamaica. 12-16 April, 2010.]

The Pan American Health Organization’s Caribbean Sub-regional Managers’ Meeting is taking place in Kingston, Jamaica this week, where a series of activities and meetings with government national authorities and the minister of health are taking place.

The Caribbean Sub-regional Managers’ Meeting will address among other critical issues for the Caribbean region and the work of PAHO, which include the current landscape in PAHO supported areas including health and agriculture as well as changes that need to be made in the organization to facilitate support to the Caribbean and Latin American region.

PAHO/WHO Representative to Jamaica, Dr. Ernest Pate says “this is an opportunity for PAHO to outline strategic objectives for the region and for specific countries. We will be looking at opportunities, challenges and the way forward in terms of our technical cooperation.”

Some issues to be discussed that affect all countries in the region include:

• Health Information System with specific focus on Health Information Policy;
• Needs Based Human Resource Planning;
• Opportunities and Challenges for Technical Cooperation;
• Monitoring and Evaluation of Technical Cooperation Programmes;
• Institutional and Administrative Resource Support for Technical Cooperation Programme;
• Non-communicable Diseases, Adolescent Health and HIV/AIDS;
• Implementation of the International Health Regulations and the Implications for Food Safety and Security.

Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, the PAHO Director and Regional Director for the Americas of the World Health Organization will be participating in the meeting. During her visit, Dr. Roses will meet with Prime Minister, Hon. Bruce Golding, Health Minister, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, Agriculture Minister Hon. Christopher Tufton and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dr. Ken Baugh.

The Opening Ceremony for the Meeting features a presentation from Jamaica's MOH Ruddy Spencer Spencer who is giving an overview of the National Health Situation, Priorities, Progress and Challenges.

The PAHO Caribbean Sub-regional Managers’ Meeting is held each year to discuss technical cooperation issues, progress made and ways forward to strengthening regional health strategies supported by the Organization.

Source: Jamaica Minister of Health and Jamaica House.