HGP Nightly News – Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony used the opening of CARPHA’s 70th Annual Health Research Conference to issue a strong call for the Caribbean to push beyond routine discussion and embrace research that delivers real change in people’s lives.
Speaking at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre as the regional conference got underway under the theme “Innovations in Health,” Anthony said CARPHA has become an important platform for advancing ideas, deepening collaboration and producing research that can transform health systems across the Caribbean. In his words, “CARPHA has provided a platform for us to push boundaries, challenge assumptions, and create knowledge that transforms lives.”
The minister urged participants to see the conference as more than a formal annual gathering. Instead, he said it should serve as a launch point for new thinking and stronger regional action. “Let this conference be more than a meeting of minds,” Anthony said. “Let it be a catalyst for new ideas, stronger partnerships, bold research, and for a Caribbean that leads, not follows, in the global health landscape.”
His remarks placed heavy emphasis on the importance of turning research into measurable results. Anthony argued that the value of health research cannot rest only in academic publication or scientific recognition, but must be judged by the impact it has on healthcare delivery and people’s lives. “The ultimate goal of research is not publication alone, it is impact,” he said. “It is better health outcomes, a stronger health system, and longer, healthier lives for our people.”
That message set the tone for the conference, which is focusing this year on innovation, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in public health. The 2026 theme reflects growing regional interest in how new tools and systems can support cutting-edge research and help solve persistent healthcare challenges across the Caribbean.
The conference, recognised as the longest-running health research meeting in the English-speaking Caribbean, has attracted more than 400 delegates, including Chief Medical Officers, researchers, policymakers and public health practitioners. Organisers say the event is intended to strengthen collaboration, encourage innovation and expand the exchange of scientific knowledge across the region.
Also addressing the gathering, President Dr. Irfaan Ali spoke about the need for the Caribbean to identify its gaps and position itself as a hub for innovation in advanced medical research and technology. He said the region has the potential to serve as a testing ground for new health technologies and reflected on the COVID-19 pandemic as proof that regional cooperation through CARICOM remains one of the Caribbean’s greatest strengths.
Among those attending the conference are CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission Martin Seychell, PAHO’s Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, CARPHA Executive Director Dr. Lisa Indar, and a broad cross-section of researchers, scientists and health professionals from across the region and beyond.
