The Caribbean region’s capacity to track, test and respond to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been bolstered with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) establishing its new regional reference referral laboratory in Jamaica.

Speaking at the recent official opening ceremony at CARPHA’s Hope Gardens location in St Andrew, Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton said that the facility will strengthen surveillance, improve clinical decision-making and reduce the Caribbean’s dependence on overseas testing.

“The establishment of the lab will significantly strengthen our ability to identify resistant organisms more quickly, improve surveillance, guide appropriate treatment decisions, and provide valuable evidence supporting national policy and clinical practice,” he noted.