PAHO/WHO
Jerome Walcott, Minister of Health and Wellness of Barbados, Amalia Del Riego, PWR/ECC, and family members of Dr. Carissa Etienne, cut the ribbon at the inauguration of ECC.
Bridgetown, Barbados, 2 May 2025 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) officially inaugurated the Carissa F. Etienne Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at its Barbados office, a state-of-the-art facility designed to coordinate health emergency preparedness and response across Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and the wider Caribbean.
“This EOC represents a shared commitment to preparedness, resilience, and safeguarding the health and well-being of the people of the Caribbean,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director, via video message at the inauguration. “It is a living tribute to PAHO Director Emeritus Dr. Carissa Etienne’s vision and unwavering dedication to public health in the Americas.”
The establishment of the EOC responds to the region’s vulnerability to emergencies of various origins, including hurricanes and storms, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, outbreaks, and pandemics. Events such as Hurricanes Maria (2017), Irma (2017), Dorian (2019), and Beryl (2024), the eruption of the La Soufrière volcano in Saint Vincent (2021), and the COVID-19 pandemic have underscored the need for enhanced coordination and rapid response capabilities.
“The COVID-19 pandemic taught us that preparedness cannot wait,