The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and St. George’s University (SGU) have formalized a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), cementing a strategic partnership aimed at advancing public health research, training, and policy development across the Caribbean region.
The agreement was signed on April 21, 2026, in Georgetown, Guyana, and establishes a framework for joint collaboration in tackling some of the region’s most pressing health challenges — including communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and environmental health concerns.
Under the MoU, the two institutions will work together across several key areas, including joint public health research and evidence generation, student training and workforce development, capacity building in epidemiology and analytics, digital health innovation, data sharing, One Health collaboration, and the joint execution of the 71st Annual Health Research Conference.
CARPHA Executive Director Dr. Lisa Indar described the agreement as a natural evolution of a relationship that has long existed between the two organisations. “This MoU concretises the well-established, long-standing relationship with CARPHA and SGU,” she said, adding that it would position both institutions as key regional leaders in public health research and practice, while supporting the translation of research findings into evidence-informed policy recommendations for member states.
Professor Marios Loukas, President and Dean of SGU’s School of Medicine, called the signing a defining moment for public health in the Caribbean. “By aligning SGU’s academic and research strength with CARPHA’s regional leadership, we are building an integrated platform to drive innovation, expand research capacity, and accelerate the translation of evidence into policy and practice,” he said.
The partnership builds on a history of cooperation that stretches back years. SGU students have previously served as interns with CARPHA, contributing to regional health initiatives while gaining hands-on experience, and SGU faculty have collaborated with CARPHA on research and regional stakeholder networks. In 2015, CARPHA’s Annual Health Research Conference was hosted on the SGU campus in Grenada — a milestone that underscored the depth of the relationship between the two institutions.
Both organizations say the agreement reflects a shared commitment to building a more resilient, equitable, and healthier Caribbean, and positions the region as a contributor to global public health innovation.