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.

The post Health Ministry investigating suspected cases of infectious skin disease at Geriatric Hospital appeared first on Barbados Today.

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

The post appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

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 ...

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) has temporarily scaled back surgical services as it undertakes major upgrades to its Main Operating Theatre’s air handling system and supporting equipment.

The hospital announced in a statement on Wednesday that it is in the process of replacing, redesigning, and upgrading the Air Handler Unit (AHU) system, while also addressing technical issues with the chillers that support the AHU.

Completion of the project is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, May 21, 2025, weather permitting and barring unforeseen delays.

During this period, only emergency and urgent surgeries will be performed at the QEH. Some procedures have been relocated to the Obstetrics Theatre, and the hospital is working with partner institutions to conduct elective surgeries offsite where possible.

In a statement, the QEH assured the public that these adjustments are necessary to improve the reliability and efficiency of its surgical services.

For further assistance, patients may contact the QEH Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS/Help Desk) at 536-4800.

The works being carried out are part of the hospital’s $130 million Capital Expenditure (CapEx) Programme for 2025, which is aimed at modernising its infrastructure and improving care delivery.

The post Only emergency surgeries at QEH for at least another week appeared first on Barbados Today.

The Food In Our Schools Matters calls on governments to #ActOnFacts and implement strong school nutrition policies that allow and encourage children and the school community to make healthier food choices.

Addressing unhealthy food environments – and by extension childhood obesity – requires bold legislative actions, to not only increase access to nutritious foods, healthier snacks and drinking water, but limit the sale and marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks in schools.

The campaign was originally launched on September 7th to October 16th, 2022. It was relaunched as a social media only campaign on May 5th, 2025 for four weeks

Read/download the press release here.

Jump to the campaign resources.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

The health of our region is the wealth of our region. We need to invest in prevention policies which target our most precious resource – our children
Sir Trevor Hassell, President, Healthy Caribbean Coalition

With one in three Caribbean children living with overweight and obesity, the region is on a dangerous trajectory towards a future with an even greater non-communicable disease (NCD) burden. NCDs such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer remain the leading causes of premature death in the Caribbean, and children living with overweight and obesity are more likely to develop NCDs at a younger age. Unhealthy diets dominated by ultra-processed foods (UPFs) high in sugar, fats and salt are the primary cause of childhood obesity and its related NCDs.

Early childhood is a critical time for obesity prevention, as eating habits established when young can last a lifetime. Children spend much of their time in school, yet across the Caribbean region, food and beverage offerings in schools largely consist of unhealthy, ultra-processed foods such as sweet drinks, cookies and other ‘junk foods’.

Our children deserve better. School food environments should promote good health and nutrition, and support students in making healthy food choices.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Governments and Policymakers: Invest in evidence based prevention policies. Allocate adequate budgets to support, implement, monitor and enforce school nutrition policies that include regulating the sale and marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks in schools, while increasing access to nutritious foods, healthier snacks and drinking water. These policies have been endorsed by CARICOM Heads of Government and recommended by WHO/PAHO, CARPHA, UNICEF, HCC, Ministries of Health and other key stakeholders.

HCC has launched three new publications focused on Regulating the Availability and Marketing of Unhealthy Beverages and Food Products in and around Schools in the Caribbean, you can access the summary here or all three publications here.

Parents and caregivers: Share the campaign materials with your networks. Recognise that policy plays a powerful role in creating environments that make the healthier choice, the easy choice. Talk to your child’s school administrators and your local policymakers in Ministries of Education and Health, about the need for strong, nutrition policies that allow and encourage children and the school community to make healthier food choices. Our children deserve better from schools.

CAMPAIGN RESOURCES

The campaign uses largely monochrome imagery: playing on the concept that the link between our children’s health and diet is simply ‘black and white’.

We encourage you to share the campaign materials in your networks, please contact us to gain access to the hi-res, different sized images for sharing.

Social Media Cards

CAMPAIGN AT A GLANCE

Launch Date: The campaign was originally launched on September 7th to October 16th, 2022. It was relaunched as a social media only campaign on May 5th, 2025 for four weeks.

Locale: Regional/Caribbean

Type: Digital Media Campaign

Purpose: To build public and policymaker support for policies that limit the sale and marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks in and around schools, while increasing the availability of nutritious foods, healthier snacks and drinking water.

CAMPAIGN METRICS

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OUR PARTNERS

VIDEO

WEBINAR

Webinar

On Wednesday October 5th, 2022 the Healthy Caribbean Coalition and it’s partners hosted a webinar entitled #ActOnFacts – The Food In Our Schools Matter.
In this webinar distinguished panellists and speakers discuss lessons learned around the implementation of healthy school policies across the Caribbean, and share a new resource to assist CARICOM countries in harmonising healthy school policy regulation.

OTHER RESOURCES

Civil Society action Plan 2017-2021: Preventing Childhood Obesity in the Caribbean
Read/Download

Civil Society Policy Brief: Priority Nutrition Policies for Healthy Children in the Caribbean
Read/Download

Healthy Caribbean Coalition’s Childhood Obesity Prevention (COP) Portal
Read more

Report – Regulating the Availability and Marketing of Unhealthy Beverages and Food Products in and around Schools in the Caribbean Read/download

Model Policy and Legislative Guidance for Regulating the Availability and Marketing of Unhealthy Beverages and Food Products in and around Schools in the Caribbean Read/download

Summary – Policy and Legislative Guidance for Regulating the Availability and Marketing of Unhealthy Beverages and Food Products in and around Schools in the Caribbean Read/download

The post The Food In Our Schools Matters and Policy Can Make a Difference appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

A Ministry of Health nursing assistant is wanted by the police for allegedly creating public mischief and attempting to pervert and obstruct the course of justice by claiming that she was present at the post-mortem examination of the body of 11-year-old Adriana Younge. A woman’s voice is heard on the recording claiming that “Frank” told ...