Healthcare professionals and officials from around the Caribbean meet in St. Kitts over the next two days during the Fourteenth Meeting of CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD).
Participants at the April 25th and 26th meeting at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort and Royal Beach Casino will discuss domestic regulations governing the free movement of health professionals in the Region and the migration of nurses.
The state of mental health in the Region, the Community's progress in reducing the demand for drugs and the setting up of affordable drop-in centers for drug addicts and the homeless are also expected to engage the meeting.
Regional health and social security officials are also gearing to focus on a Plan of Action aimed at integrating the Region's Approach to preventing and controlling chronic diseases.
This is in addiction to examine the economic impact of diseases such as Diabetes and Hypertension in the Caribbean, and making arrangements for a regional Health Insurance scheme.
As the Region scales up its response to the fight against HIV/AIDS, the COHSOD will also receive an update on the status of implementation and developments in the regional strategic response to HIV/AIDS.
The Council will also receive several reports including one from the meeting of Chief Medical Officers which was held on Tuesday 25th April, a status report on Health and Cricket World Cup CWC) 2007, and proposals for establishing the Caribbean Health Initiative to improve health care delivery in the Region.
The meeting of the COHSOD will be chaired by the newly-appointed Minster of Health and Social Security of The Bahamas, Senator the Hon. Bernard Nottage.
St. Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, outgoing Chair of the COHSOD, St. Kitts and Nevis' Minister of Health, Hon. Rupert Herbert and Director of Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Dr. Mirta Roses are also expected to deliver remarks at the meeting ceremony.
