A regional call to strengthen surveillance and protect the Caribbean's food supply took center stage on Monday, as CARPHA hosted its second One Health Multidisciplinary two day Workshop at the Hyatt Regency. Stakeholders from across the region gathered to address the growing threat of foodborne illnesses, zoonotic diseases, and the impact of environmental changes on public health.
00:00Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Ravi Rattaram says CARFA and his ministry are working to make food safer by strengthening disease surveillance, encouraging farmers to follow proper safety practices and upgrading the food supply chain from farm to store.
00:17We have been focusing on strengthening surveillance in livestock and poultry, working to detect early and limit their spread. We continue to promote strong biosecurity practice amongst farmers and to adopt international best standards to safeguard animal and plant health.
00:39We are improving the systems that support food safety, from farm and fishing vessels to market agro-processors and retailers.
00:50Minister Rattaram also stressed that food safety is a national development issue and highlighted the role of the marine environment in regional food security.
00:59The ocean feeds us, supports livelihoods, protects our coastline and drives tourism. Yet it is increasingly vulnerable to pollution, changes in climatic conditions and biological threats.
01:15Issues such as fishborne illness and invasive species are reminders that marine health must be fully integrated into our surveillance and response system. It cannot be treated as secondary or separate.
01:32Meantime, Minister of Health, Minister of Health, Dr. Lacram Bodo noted that according to CARFA, 1 in 49 people, roughly 142,000 persons, will contract a foodborne illness in their lifetime.
01:45He added that zoonotic and vector-borne diseases such as dengue remain major concerns.
01:52So these threats reinforce the need for strong laboratory and surveillance capacity. In 2024, the Trinidad Public Health Laboratory, supported by CARFA's regional laboratory, tested more than 11,000 samples for arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika.
02:10So this level of collaboration demonstrates the critical road of shared laboratory systems in early detection and regional response.
02:17He emphasized that human, animal and environmental health are deeply connected, adding that diseases spread across borders quickly.
02:27Therefore, Caribbean nations must work together, as no one country can manage these threats alone.
02:33The reality is that health threats do not respect borders. Foodborne diseases, zoonoses and pandemics can move swiftly across our islands.
02:43This is why regional approach, which brings together epidemiologists, laboratory scientists, veterinarians, environmental health officers and policy makers, is indispensable.
02:57The Caribbean is strongest when we operate as a collective.
03:02No single country can maintain every surveillance system, detect every emerging pathogen or manage every outbreak alone.
03:09Therefore, our greatest asset is our regional solidarity.
03:14CARFA says the world continues as the region confronts emerging health threats.
03:19It is seeking improved laboratory systems and deeper cross-sector collaboration to ensure safer food systems and a healthier Caribbean for all.
Be the first to comment