Barbara Joseph, Quality Manager for Laboratory Services at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre (SLBMC), recently participated in the Caribbean Public Health Laboratory Network (CaribPHLN) Regional Meeting held in Guyana from 24 to 26 July.

The gathering brought together public health leaders from across the Caribbean to discuss strategies for strengthening the region’s laboratory systems and improving public health responses.

Key topics included the expansion of laboratory networks, enhanced outbreak preparedness, measures to tackle antimicrobial resistance, and the adoption of safer sample transport protocols.

The meeting placed strong emphasis on capacity building, with the aim of improving the region’s ability to detect and respond swiftly to emerging health threats, while ensuring more secure and effective patient care.