Barbadians now have a new comprehensive healthcare option with the opening of Bayview Laboratory at the new Bayview Urgent Care. Previously located on George Street in Belleville, Bayview Lab has joined its sister companies, Diagnostic Radiology Services and Bayview Hospital, to provide complete, patient-centered care under one roof.

Bayview Urgent Care, along with its laboratory and diagnostic radiology departments, is now open to the public with phased operating hours. In June, it will operate daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., extending to midnight in July and transitioning to a full 24-hour service by August.

Well known across Barbados for its HPV and STI-4 self-collection kits, Bayview Lab has expanded its diagnostic capabilities to include a broad range of new tests. These include liver and kidney function tests, prenatal and thyroid panels, as well as screenings for colorectal, ovarian, prostate, and other types of cancer. In addition, the laboratory has enhanced its STI testing services to screen for Hepatitis B and C, Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2, Syphilis, and HIV (including both antibody and antigen testing).

Medical Laboratory Director, Dr Lyndon Waterman, described this expansion as phase one of the lab’s broader rollout.

“Our goal is to serve as a comprehensive health partner by equipping physicians with the diagnostic tools they need to provide exceptional care. As part of this effort, we will be introducing phlebotomy services starting July 1, 2025, allowing walk-in patients to access lab services more easily,” he explained.

At the official opening ceremony of Bayview Urgent Care, Hospital Administrator Jules Reid announced a significant new partnership between Bayview Labs and the international genetics firm, CariGenetics.

“We are thrilled to announce that Bayview Labs has partnered with CariGenetics to offer advanced genetic testing. With these tests, you will have access to Paternity tests, a cancer risk profile, your risk for developing kidney disease, and also a drug profile that guides your clinical team as to which medications will work best for you. These can be especially helpful for supporting mental health.”

Bayview Laboratory’s new home at Bayview Urgent Care marks an essential step in making quality healthcare more accessible to the community. With extended operating hours, a wider range of tests available and exciting new partnerships, the lab is ensuring that Barbadians have access to the quality healthcare they need, when they need it most.

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As the Guyana government plans to embark on the “aggressive” recruitment of foreign nurses to work at several new hospitals that are being built across the country, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday said new conditions of employment would be put in place for Cuban doctors. “We’re recruiting people from around the world, not confined ...

KINGSTON, JAMAICA, 10 June 2025—Caribbean HIV service organisations say they are experiencing severe service disruptions and financial instability that threaten to reverse decades of progress in the HIV response due to the funding pause issued by the U.S. Government in January 2025. A rapid assessment, which was conducted by the Joint United Nations Programme on ...

Guyana is moving ahead with revamping its pharmaceutical regulatory system with assistance from Rwanda, as part of preparations to possibly become a leading drug manufacturer and supplier to Caribbean and European Union (EU) markets. “We have done an assessment of our regulatory agency and our laws, when we looked at them – they date back ...

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Saturday said there was no increase in the number of COVID-19 cases but publicly-owned hospitals have been told to be on alert so that tests could be done to detect a new strain. He said globally, a new COVID-19 strain, NB 1.8.1, was now circulating and causing some hospitalisations ...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is currently investigating suspected cases of an infectious skin disease in a section of the Geriatric Hospital.

It said in a statement that it is using all available resources at its disposal, both within the public and private sectors to identify, treat and eradicate the problem at the Beckles Road, St Michael facility.

To contain any spread, the ministry has suspended visiting by members of the public to Units 1 and 2 of the hospital until further notice.

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Webinar: Act on Facts: Lets do it Better for the Children

On Wednesday 28th may 2025, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) hosted a regional webinar entitled: Act on Facts: Lets do it Better for the Children.

This webinar discussed the experiences and lessons learned around the implementation of healthy school nutrition policies in the Caribbean and public health experts, policymakers, educators, and civil society advocates shared their experiences, challenges, and best practices in safeguarding children’s health from commercial influences.

Presenters and Panellists

Visit the Lets do it better for the children campaign page.

The post Webinar: Act on Facts: Lets do it Better for the Children appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Monday confirmed that the death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge has been officially ruled a drowning, with no signs of foul play, according to the final postmortem report submitted today by the three internationally renowned pathologists to investigators. A comprehensive postmortem examination, including toxicology and DNA testing, was carried out ...

On Friday 16 May 2025 the HCC in partnership with PAHO and CARPHA hosted a webinar entitled: Global Updates on Front of Package Warning Labelling showcasing progress and lessons learned, underscoring the efficacy of the evidence-based ‘high in’ octagonal warning label and the critical importance of a robust supportive nutrient profile model. The webinar began with a global overview, followed by sharing of country experiences from Barbados and countries outside of the region including Kenya and some of CARICOM’s key trading partners: the UK, Canada and Mexico.

The webinar had over 450 registrants and rich audience engagement signalling the significant level of interest in advancing this policy measure.

Presenters

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The Ministry of Health on Wednesday launched its toll-free 915 suicide prevention hotline, saying the “crucial lifeline” was being supported by emergency responders. “If you call the hotline and they recognise that somebody is in crisis, then they have a rapid response team that would actually go out and get to that person and work ...