PAHO inaugurates Emergency Operations Centre in Barbados to strengthen Caribbean health security

Bridgetown, Barbados, 2 May 2025 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) officially inaugurated the Carissa F. Etienne Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at its Barbados office, a state-of-the-art facility designed to coordinate health emergency preparedness and response across Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and the wider Caribbean.

“This EOC represents a shared commitment to preparedness, resilience, and safeguarding the health and well-being of the people of the Caribbean,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director, via video message at the inauguration. “It is a living tribute to PAHO Director Emeritus Dr. Carissa Etienne’s vision and unwavering dedication to public health in the Americas.”

The establishment of the EOC responds to the region’s vulnerability to emergencies of various origins, including hurricanes and storms, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, outbreaks, and pandemics. Events such as Hurricanes Maria (2017), Irma (2017), Dorian (2019), and Beryl (2024), the eruption of the La Soufrière volcano in Saint Vincent (2021), and the COVID-19 pandemic have underscored the need for enhanced coordination and rapid response capabilities.

“The COVID-19 pandemic taught us that preparedness cannot wait,” Dr. Barbosa stressed. “With this Centre now operational—and just in time for the 2025 hurricane season—we are better equipped than ever to act quickly, to save lives, and to build a more resilient future.”

“Barbados, like many other Caribbean countries, has a long and invaluable relationship with PAHO in the area of emergency response,” said Dr. Jerome Walcott, Minister of Health and Wellness of Barbados, welcoming the establishment of the EOC. “As the effects of the climate crisis and multi-hazard events become more frequent and complex, a broader, more coordinated response is required,” he added.  Serving 13 countries and territories that face a high level of vulnerability to multiple hazards, the EOC enhances PAHO’s capacity for rapid, equitable responses. Located in Barbados, it acts as a hub for PAHO’s Subregional Health Emergencies Team, collaborating with the PAHO Regional EOC and partners such as Ministries of Health and the United Nations.

The EOC is designed to address these challenges closer to where they occur, by providing operational support, information management, resource allocation, and surge capacity deployment during emergencies.​

In non-disaster situations, the EOC will monitor and identify emerging health crises, strengthen integrated event-based surveillance, and serve as a platform for capacity building and operational preparedness. It will also facilitate simulation exercises to ensure readiness for various health emergencies.

"This Emergency Operations Center is a critical and timely investment in the region’s health security. It strengthens our collective capacity to coordinate rapid responses, monitor emerging threats in real time, and provide timely, life-saving support to Ministries of Health and key partners across Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and by extension the Caribbean," Dr. Barbosa said.

Barbados’ leadership in public health made it the ideal host. “We commend Barbados for its exemplary solidarity, consistently offering expertise and resources to neighbors,” Dr. Barbosa noted. “This Center is not simply about infrastructure —it’s about people, systems, and partnerships brought to life by those who work within it—and those who work alongside it throughout the Caribbean.”

The Carissa F. Etienne EOC is now operational and ready to support health emergency responses across the Caribbean, ensuring that the region is better equipped to act swiftly and effectively in the face of health crises.