The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has launched a regional antimicrobial resistance (AMR) reference laboratory in Jamaica, completing a regional laboratory network across the Caribbean.

The facility is at CARPHA’s Medical Microbiology and Quality Control Services Division and was opened with support from regional and international partners working on AMR, including the British High Commission in Jamaica, the UK Health Security Agency, the UK Department of Health and Social Care, the Pan American Health Organization and the Fleming Fund.

Cayman's Chief Medical Officer Hilary Wolf said she was thrilled at the launch of the laboratory, which completes a regional network intended to improve testing and surveillance for drug-resistant infections across the Caribbean.

The facility aims to shorten sample transit and turnaround times, strengthen public health surveillance and help health officials respond faster to drug-resistant infections.

The Jamaica laboratory completes CARPHA’s regional laboratory network, which also includes laboratories in Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Lucia. Officials said the three hubs would share specialist services more efficiently than if each country tried to build the same high-level capacity on its own.

Christopher Tufton, Jamaica’s Minister of Health and Wellness, officially inaugurated the laboratory alongside Lisa Indar, CARPHA’s executive director. Representatives from the British High Commission, UKHSA, the UK Department of Health and Social Care, Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness, PAHO and other regional and international partners attended the ceremony.

CARPHA described the Jamaica site as the final piece of its regional referral laboratory network and said the laboratory would improve its ability to detect, monitor and respond to antimicrobial resistance and expand specialised microbiology and clinical diagnostic services.

Why the laboratory matters

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global health threat. CARPHA said the challenge was compounded in the Caribbean by limited surveillance systems, delays in diagnosis, restricted access to quality antimicrobials and the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in both animals and people. The agency linked the new laboratory to its integrated AMR programme, which it launched in April 2025.

The network was funded through the Fleming Fund and supported by UKHSA and the UK Department of Health and Social Care under the Caribbean Antimicrobial Resistance Alliance. CARPHA said the UK partnership had helped to modernise its laboratory infrastructure through equipment, refurbishment and workforce development.

Those upgrades included VITEK 2, VITEK MS Prime, BioFire multiplex PCR systems and GeneXpert molecular diagnostic platforms. CARPHA said the equipment would support rapid pathogen identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and a broader range of infectious disease diagnostics.

Officials welcome launch

Speaking after the launch, Dr Lisa Indar said the facility marked a major step for the region’s public health system.

"Today's landmark launch represents the successful completion of a major investment in the Caribbean's public health infrastructure," she said. "Together, our laboratories in Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia and Jamaica now form a fully integrated regional referral laboratory network, enabling us to provide faster, more equitable access to specialised diagnostic services for all 26 CARPHA Member States."

She said the investment was not only about laboratory buildings and equipment.

"This is not simply an investment in laboratories, it is an investment in stronger surveillance, more effective outbreak response and a more resilient Regional Health System," she said.

Jamaica’s health minister said the country had already been working to respond to antimicrobial resistance through surveillance, infection prevention and control, antimicrobial stewardship and public education. He said those efforts included responsible antibiotic prescribing and campaigns encouraging people to use antibiotics only when prescribed and to complete the full course of treatment.

Andrew Bowden, development representative and government adviser at the British High Commission in Kingston, said the UK was proud to back the project. He said the UK had invested at least £480,000 towards laboratory equipment, refurbishment and the establishment of the facility.

He said the support was about more than infrastructure.

"This is about more than modern laboratory infrastructure; it is about investing in people, skills and long-term partnerships that will improve patient care, strengthen disease surveillance and build a healthier, more resilient Caribbean," he said.

Cayman Islands impact

For the Cayman Islands, the new Jamaica laboratory means shorter referral distances for samples that need specialist AMR testing and specialist laboratory support. It also meant faster results for clinicians and public health officials when they were dealing with serious or drug-resistant infections. That could support earlier, more targeted treatment and quicker public health action.

Dr Hilary Wolf, Cayman’s Chief Medical Officer, said the launch reflected continued investment in regional surveillance and diagnostic capacity.

"The Cayman Islands technical capacity for AMR testing is advanced," she said. "We have established antimicrobial susceptibility testing, which provides our clinicians with an understanding of the appropriate antibiotic therapy, especially for multi-drug-resistant organisms."

She said Cayman was also able to routinely monitor the genetic mechanisms that underpinned bacterial drug resistance using whole genome sequencing.

"This capability presents a new and exciting opportunity to develop further collaborative relationships in the region towards better AMR stewardship," she said.

Dr Wolf said the regional network was a benefit for the entire Caribbean.

"This growing regional network is a win-win for the Caribbean," she said. "By expanding collaboration and sharing expertise, laboratories across the region can strengthen surveillance, improve response times, and enhance our collective ability to address the threat of antimicrobial resistance."

She also pointed to the possibility of further co-operation. "We also see opportunities for further partnership, including the potential for specialised testing and referral of samples between jurisdictions where this would add value and improve regional public health outcomes," she said.

What comes next

CARPHA said it would continue to work with regional and international partners to strengthen antimicrobial resistance surveillance, laboratory systems and workforce capacity. It also said the network could support specialised testing and the referral of samples between jurisdictions where this would improve public health outcomes.

As the Caribbean’s regional public health agency, CARPHA said it remained committed to giving all member states access to specialised laboratory services, regardless of size or national capacity. For Cayman, the practical effect was simple: quicker access to expert laboratory support, faster treatment decisions and stronger protection against emerging public health threats.