Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, – “We must go back to the family, to basics, if we are to successfully address issues such as teenage pregnancy, mental health and youth violence in the Caribbean.” So said, Premier, Turks and Caicos Islands, Dr The Honourable Rufus Ewing at the Opening Ceremony of the CARPHA 61st Health Research Conference at Beaches Resort, Providenciales.
The Premier lamented that most countries in the Region are grappling with the increasing burden of chronic non-communicable diseases and Zika among other health threats. He stated that the financial and economic impact of these threats can make “countries and individuals poor in an instant”. For this reason, Premier Ewing believed the Conference theme, Family Health: Living Healthy at all Ages to be fitting as it provides a forum for sharing ideas and solutions to health priorities of the Region.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Executive Director, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Dr C. James Hospedales endorsed the importance of the health research conference, but pointed out that although evidence is gathered, the challenge is in implementation. Dr Hospedales told the audience, comprising of public health professionals, policy makers, clinicians and students, that there was a need to strengthen the ethical framework for research, but just as important was the ability to translate research into policy.
This year’s Health Research Conference is jointly hosted by the Government of Turks and Caicos Islands and CARPHA and runs from June 23 – 25. Dr Hospedales revealed that next year’s conference will be held in Guyana with the theme, Climate Change: The Environment and Human Health.