Caribbean Epidemiology Centre

• Author: Duke Pollard
• Profession: Sitting senior judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the highest appellate municipal court of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
• Pages: 863-872

The Operation of the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre 863

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THE OPERATION OF THE CARIBBEAN

EPIDEMIOLOGY CENTRE

JAN 2001-DEC 2005

The status of the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) as an institution within

the CARICOM System is not without considerable doubt. CAREC is operated by the

Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) in accordance with the Multilateral

Agreement for the Operation of the Trinidad Regional Virus Laboratory signed by the

parties thereto on June 18, 1974 and is amended and extended through December 31,

1995 and December 31, 2000. Despite this, the role of CAREC is so critical for human

survival in the Caribbean Community, especially in view of the recent HIV/AIDS

pandemic in the Region, that it was considered wise to err on the side of caution and

include this institution in the collection of constituent instruments of organisations

classified as belonging to the CARICOM system.

CAREC is devoted to improving the health status of the Caribbean people by

working with and advancing the capability of its Members in the areas of epidemiology,

laboratory technology and related public health disciplines through technical cooperation,

services, training and research. The functions of CAREC include serving as a specialised

technical resource of Caribbean Cooperation in Health (CCH) to assist, advise and

cooperate with Members in the surveillance, prevention and control of communicable

and non-communicable diseases; acting as a centre for epidemiological and statistical

analysis, including situational analysis and trend assessment for Members or entities

cooperating with or participating in CAREC; assisting, advising and cooperating with

members on attaining levels of national epidemiological and laboratory capacity

necessary for defining health sector priorities and designing effective interventions and

evaluating performance; providing reference and referral laboratory services in

microbiology, immunology and medical entomology in support of national and regional

programmes of disease surveillance and control. CAREC’s activities comprehend health

situation analysis and trend assessment; laboratory services; education and training;

research, publications and general management of the institution.

The management structure of CAREC comprises a Council, the Scientific Advisory

Committee (SAC) and the Secretariat. The Council is comprised of representatives of

the following Governments and organisations: the Minister of Health of Trinidad and

Tobago, five representatives designated by the Council for Human and Social

Development (COHSOD); one representative each from UWI, CHRC, CARICOM

Secretariat, PAHO/WHO, and SAC. The Director of CAREC is the Secretary for the