— top agenda of CARPHA research conference here

HEALTH and environmental specialists from the region and farther afield will examine a raft of issues during the 62nd Annual Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) conference that will be held here in Guyana next month.

In a statement, CARPHA’S Executive Director, Dr. James Hospedales, said that increases in vector-borne diseases, rising sea levels, prolonged periods of drought, and intense storms and hurricanes in the region are among critical issues on the agenda.
The conference will be held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown, from April 27-29 under the theme “Climate Change, the Environment and Human Health.”
The CARPHA conference is expected to “deliver a roadmap to chart the regional response to climate and health,” Dr. Hospedales said.
He said the conference is a major regional forum where health researchers share and promote ways in which evidence can be used to improve people’s health and prevent death and suffering. The conference “also provides a training ground for young researchers,” Hospedales explained, adding that environmental health professionals, researchers, senior health officers and clinicians will be among regional and international delegates to attend the health research conference.

An expert panel of climate change and health specialists is also expected to deliver their findings on the implications of rising sea levels, the impact of climate change on food security and health, as well as the significance of tobacco use among Caribbean youths.
Additionally, these experts are expected to share their perspectives on transgendered health, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and the much-feared Zika virus.
The conference will host a series of events including a grant writing and implementation science workshop; a stakeholder policy dialogue; training in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH); training in indoor air quality, and a seminar on Health Diplomacy for Caribbean Chief Medical Officers (CMOs).
Guyana’s CMO, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, said the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) “is fully supportive of the event” as it will zero in on diseases that are of serious concern to the country.
Dr Persaud said a programme targeting local tourism and health industries will also be launched during the week of the conference.
According to him, the agency will work with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) to include hoteliers, and tour operators into a system of surveillance, which will include training in food safety, and regulatory mechanisms.
Dr Persaud wants locals in the health and environmental sectors to register and take full advantage of conference sessions.
The Caribbean, which comprises small island nations, is one of the most vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change. In recent years, the vulnerability of the region has been exposed by the vagaries of climate change and diseases spread by vectors, especially mosquito.