According to the regional body, CARPHA or the Caribbean Public Health Agency has signed an agreement with management and communication consultants, Kay Osborne Associates Limited (KOA), to craft the agency’s regional, strategic brand marketing, communication and action plan.
CARPHA is headquartered in Port of Spain and the agency serves 24 member countries including the Bahamas, Haiti, Jamaica, T&T, Suriname, Guyana, Belize, Eastern Caribbean islands as well as the UK and Dutch dependent territories.
The purpose and an objective of this agreement is to brand CARPHA as a credible source of information, knowledge, programmes and other activities as well as to market communications that CARPHA is the sole public health agency to deliver regional public health benefits in the region.
“The communication strategy and action plan will support CARPHA’s overarching mission to prevent disease, promote and protect health and respond to public health threats and emergencies throughout the Caribbean. To deliver on our mandate, CARPHA intends to widely inform on how the public and other stakeholders, such as tourism, transportation, communications sectors, benefit from what we do, and to encourage and support healthy living and partnerships with CARPHA member states that determine our priorities which include monitoring and responding to epidemics, such as the new Chikungunya virus, addressing growing obesity among children, non-communicable disease epidemics, tourism and health, violence and injury prevention, and bio-terrorism”, said Executive Director, Dr. James Hospedales.
“Our approach is regional, and our focus is on helping our Caribbean peoples and visitors live longer, healthier, more productive lives. Investments in CARPHA support the delivery of economic and human development goals throughout the Caribbean,” he continued.
According to reports, the strategy will “position CARPHA with an evidence-based, value investment proposition”.
“We are delighted to have been selected to develop this important regional strategy for 24 CARPHA member and associate member countries. We’re grateful for this opportunity to support CARPHA in clarifying and publicizing its strategies and approaches and in securing and strengthening partnerships to further address public health challenges that affect the entire region,” said KOA president and CEO Kay Osborne.
CARICOM Heads of Government signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement in 2011 to create CARPHA as the sole regional public health agency. The organization was launched in July, 201 and comprises five previous regional institutions with epidemiology and laboratory, environment, drug testing, health research and food and nutrition mandates. The approach of having one agency is intended to improve best practices, synergy, efficiency and efficacy as it relates regional public health resource management.
