The Ministry of Health joined PAHO and regional leaders at the OAS General Assembly side event to advance mental health through innovation and community-based care
The Ministry of Health, Wellness, Environment, and Civil Service Affairs was well represented at the mental health side event hosted as part of the OAS General Assembly meetings currently taking place in Antigua and Barbuda at the AUA Campus.
In attendance were the Minister of Health, Sir Molwyn Joseph; Junior Minister of Health, Senator Michael Joseph; Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kamaria DeCastro; Medical Director, Dr. Shivon Belle-Jarvis; Head of the Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital, Dr. Griffin Benjamin; Head of Nursing at the SLBMC, Jacqueline Jno Baptiste; President of the Antigua and Barbuda Medical Association, Dr. Regene Johnson; and NCD Consultant at the Ministry, Dr. Monica Osbourne-Stevens. They were joined by other Senior Technical Officers from the Ministry, the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre and a delegation from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
The PAHO team included Dr. Amalia Del Riego, PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries; Ms. Brenda Lashley, Communications and Visibility Specialist; Dr. Anselm Hennis, Director of Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health; Dr. Renato Oliveira, Unit Chief, Mental Health and Substance Use; Ms. Charlotte McDowell, Advisor, External Relations; Ms. Maria Mercedes Migliora, Communications Specialist, Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health Department; Ms. Felicia Carter, Acting Country Program Specialist for Antigua and Barbuda; and Ms. Rhea Ireland, Administrative Assistant for the Antigua and Barbuda Country Office.
The event reinforced the shared commitment to transforming mental health services through innovation, collaboration, and community-based care models that prioritize dignity, accessibility, and long-term wellness.
