In a major development for the public health infrastructure, the World Health Organisation has named the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory a National Influenza Centre and a member of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS).
The designation, initially announced in October 2023, was celebrated on Monday in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the Caribbean’s WHO regional office.
The laboratory, which opened in 2018, has been playing a critical role in the COVID-19 pandemic response. One of the first Caribbean labs to acquire test kits and reagents for COVID-19 detection, it has processed over 800 000 COVID-19 tests in the last three years. It also features programmes for global salmonella and influenza surveillance, HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections examinations, and water and air quality monitoring.
PAHO’s representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Dr Amalia Del Riego, said the lab’s new role will help Barbados better understand the flu, track its changes, and protect the population through more effective vaccines and treatment.
He said: “The laboratory is recognised for its highest standards and its ability to perform specialised diagnostics, contribute to global flu surveillance and provide critical data that helps in the fight against influenza and pandemic.”
Minister of State in the Ministry of Health Davidson Ishmael highlighted Barbados’ longstanding commitment to excellence in flu testing, calling the recognition “a culmination of years of hard work, perseverance, and collaboration, not just in relation to influenza but to public health on a whole”.
“As the Ministry of Health and Wellness expands its capacity to monitor non-communicable diseases, including and arguably chief of which is cancer, surveillance and enhanced diagnostics will be key to addressing early detection and monitoring,” he added.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley expressed gratitude to all involved and underscored the importance of national investment in healthcare infrastructure, emphasising the laboratory’s capability to uphold standards worthy of global recognition.
The Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory at Enmore is named in honour of two former health experts who pioneered the development of Barbadian laboratory services and technologies – senior laboratory technologist Cecil Best and senior consultant pathologist Wilfred dos Santos. (SM)
