St. Vincent and the Grenadines advances Integrated Health Surveillance Guidelines with PAHO support

Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 19 June 2026 (PAHO/WHO) - The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), hosted a two-day technical mission from 15-16 June to advance the development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines' Integrated Health Surveillance Guidelines. Once completed, the guidelines will serve as the country's national policy reference for public health surveillance while also functioning as a living online resource to support timely decision-making across the health sector and beyond.

The Integrated Health Surveillance Guidelines are being developed to strengthen the country's surveillance system by providing a coordinated framework for collecting, analysing, reporting and using health data. They will support the early detection of public health threats, improve coordinated responses across sectors, and align national surveillance practices with the International Health Regulations (2005).

The mission began with a presentation of the draft guidelines to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Simone Keizer-Beache. The presentation outlined the structure of the document, its alignment with the International Health Regulations (2005) and lessons learned from similar consultations conducted across the Eastern Caribbean. Following the presentation, the Chief Medical Officer reviewed and endorsed the draft, confirming the Ministry's support for its framework and providing the basis for broader multisectoral consultation.

The mission, facilitated by PAHO/WHO consultant Ms. Eden Augustus, continued with a One Health collaborative focus with working sessions involving representatives from key government agencies. Participants included the National Epidemiologist and Health Information Unit, the Ministry of Health's Nutrition Unit and Environmental Health Unit, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour, the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture, the Ministry of Education, Reconciliation, Information and Technology, the Central Water and Sewerage Authority, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority and Argyle International Airport Authority, and the National Emergency Management Organisation.

The consultations examined each agency's health surveillance roles and responsibilities, existing reporting mechanisms and data systems, and opportunities to strengthen collaboration across sectors. Information gathered during the discussions will inform the section of the Integrated Surveillance Guidelines dedicated to multisectoral surveillance roles and responsibilities. Draft content will be shared with participating agencies for validation before the document is finalised.

In parallel with the guideline validation process, the Ministry of Health and PAHO/WHO also finalised the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Development and Support Specification for the guidelines' planned digital platform. Tailored to St. Vincent and the Grenadines' national ICT environment, the specification has been submitted to the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD) to begin formal engagement on developing the online platform. Once established, the platform will enable the Integrated Surveillance Guidelines to function as a living resource that can be updated and maintained by government technical staff as surveillance priorities evolve.

Dr. Prabhjot Singh, PAHO/WHO Interim Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries informed that PAHO is supporting the development of Integrated Health Surveillance Guidelines across several Eastern Caribbean countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada and Saint Lucia. "This work forms part of ongoing regional efforts to strengthen health surveillance systems, harmonise public health guidance and enhance preparedness for current and emerging public health threats with a One Health focus", he said.