Statement from the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hilary Wolf:
We are thrilled to see the launch of CARPHA’s Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Regional Reference Laboratory and the continued investment in strengthening regional surveillance and diagnostic capacity across the Caribbean.
The Cayman Islands technical capacity for AMR testing is advanced. We have established antimicrobial susceptibility testing, which provides our clinicians with an understanding of the appropriate antibiotic therapy, especially for multi-drug-resistant organisms. Furthermore, we are now also able to routinely to surveille for the genetic mechanisms which underpin bacterial drug resistance, using whole genome sequencing. This capability presents a new and exciting opportunity to develop further collaborative relationships in the region towards better AMR stewardship.
This growing regional network is a win-win for the Caribbean. By expanding collaboration and sharing expertise, laboratories across the region can strengthen surveillance, improve response times, and enhance our collective ability to address the threat of antimicrobial resistance. We also see opportunities for further partnership, including the potential for specialised testing and referral of samples between jurisdictions where this would add value and improve regional public health outcomes.
We congratulate CARPHA and its partners on this important milestone and look forward to continued collaboration in strengthening regional health security.