WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) — Jamaica has been singled out among several Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states for advances in its health sector, according to the latest report released Monday by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

PAHO’s 2025 Annual Reports of its country offices also highlight Barbados, Bermuda, the Eastern Caribbean, as well as Guyana, Suriname and Haiti as achieving notable progress across the region.

The report outlines key outcomes of technical cooperation between PAHO, governments and strategic partners, showcasing tangible results, real-world impact and country-specific initiatives tailored to national health priorities.

Across the Americas, several countries recorded improvements in priority areas. Argentina, Bermuda, Haiti, and Venezuela strengthened equitable access to medicines, vaccines and essential supplies. Belize, Bolivia and Curaçao advanced mental health integration through policy development, expanded services and community-based approaches.

Meanwhile, The Bahamas, Brazil and Guatemala made strides in reducing maternal mortality and improving maternal and neonatal health services, and promoting environments supportive of healthy aging.

PAHO said Barbados and Eastern Caribbean countries, Cuba, Guyana, the Cayman Islands, and Mexico also advanced efforts to prevent and manage noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors.

Progress was also reported in digital health transformation, with Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia and Panama improving interoperability, telehealth services and digital literacy among health workers.

In terms of emergency preparedness, Jamaica, alongside the Turks and Caicos Islands, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Peru, strengthened national response capacity to emergencies, epidemics and pandemics.

PAHO noted that following Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, which damaged five hospitals and more than 100 primary health centres in Jamaica, the country provided urgent support to help maintain essential services.

A major milestone highlighted in the report was Suriname becoming the first country in the Amazon basin to be certified malaria-free, marking a significant step in regional disease elimination efforts.

“The initiatives presented in these reports not only contribute to protecting the health and well-being of populations, but also support stability, security and social development in the Americas,” said Dr Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO director.

“As we present these annual reports, we reflect on a year that tested our resilience, challenged our health systems and underscored the importance of Pan-Americanism,” he added.

The reports reflect diverse realities across countries, but also a shared effort to strengthen health systems by expanding access to essential technologies and treatments, as well as quality supplies at affordable prices through PAHO’s Regional Revolving Funds. They also highlight progress in digital health, primary health care and mental health.

PAHO said with 27 country offices in the region, two specialised centres and a presence in 35 member states and four associate members, it is the world’s oldest international public health agency.

Founded in 1902, the specialised health agency of the Inter-American System (OAS) has, since 1949, also served as the World Health Organization’s regional office for the Americas.