Caribbean Countries Strengthen Action Against Antimicrobial Resistance Through Regional Workshop in Jamaica

Kingston, Jamaica, 26 June 2026 (PAHO) - As infections become harder to treat and treatment options narrow, Caribbean countries are taking practical steps to turn antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance into faster, safer action for patients and health systems. From 23-25 June 2026, Jamaica hosted a regional Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Workshop, bringing together health professionals from nine Caribbean countries to strengthen the region's response to one of the most pressing public health threats of our time.

The three-day workshop focused on a central challenge for countries: how to ensure that the data generated by laboratories and surveillance systems is rapidly interpreted, shared, and used to guide clinical decisions, infection prevention measures, outbreak response, and responsible antimicrobial use.

Participants working in infection prevention, laboratory services, antimicrobial stewardship, surveillance, and related fields examined how AMR affects everyday health care-from the treatment of common infections to the safety of surgery, cancer care, maternal and neonatal services, and emergency care. When microorganisms evolve and no longer respond to medicines, infections can last longer, spread more easily, cost more to treat, and place additional pressure on already stretched health services.

For Caribbean small island states, the challenge is especially complex. Limited treatment options, variable laboratory and diagnostic capacity, transport and logistics constraints, and broader resource pressures can affect how quickly resistant infections are detected and managed. As surveillance systems continue to improve, the priority is clear: countries must be able to move from data collection to data-informed action.

The workshop was supported by the United Kingdom Government's Fleming Fund and implemented in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). It forms part of wider regional efforts to strengthen laboratory systems, improve AMR surveillance, expand data sharing, and support countries in applying evidence to protect patients and communities.

Through practical exercises and technical exchange, participants strengthened their ability to interpret microbiology and AMR data, identify priority pathogens and resistance trends, detect and respond to outbreaks of resistant organisms, and design targeted IPC and AMS interventions. The emphasis throughout was on using evidence not only to describe the problem, but also to guide timely decisions at the bedside, in health facilities, and across public health systems.

The initiative marks the first Fleming Fund-supported activity of this kind implemented in Jamaica, underscoring strengthened national and regional commitment to patient safety, infection prevention, antimicrobial stewardship, and AMR containment.

"The real value of AMR surveillance lies in how quickly and effectively countries can use the data to protect patients," said Mr. Ian Stein, PAHO/WHO Representative in Jamaica. "This workshop helps countries move from information to action-strengthening infection prevention, guiding responsible antimicrobial use, improving outbreak response, and supporting better outcomes for patients and health workers across the Caribbean."

The training aligns with global and regional guidance, including WHO's core components for infection prevention and control programmes and antimicrobial stewardship guidance for low- and middle-income countries. It also supports ReLAVRA+, the Latin American and Caribbean Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network, which promotes the use of surveillance data to guide coordinated action across the Region of the Americas.

By strengthening the link between surveillance, clinical practice, and public health action, the workshop reflects a broader shift in the Caribbean response to AMR: from collecting data to using data-more rapidly, more consistently, and more strategically-to build resilient health systems and safeguard the effectiveness of lifesaving medicines.