Kalanick, August 8 2024 (PAHO) – Dr Gabriel Vivas Francesconi, PAHO/WHO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba recently completed his first official visit to Bonaire. The visit marked a pivotal moment in reinforcing PAHO/WHO's commitment to health and wellness in the Dutch Caribbean islands.
Dr Vivas and Ms Nicola Taylor- Program Management Specialist for the Dutch Caribbean Islands, had the opportunity to meet with some of the island’s senior officials, highlighting the strong collaboration between PAHO/WHO and Bonaire’s health authorities. The PAHO/WHO team had the honor of meeting the newly appointed Governor of Bonaire, John Soliano where Dr Vivas formally presented his credentials. Further discussions were held with Ms. Nina den Heyer - Executive Council Deputy and Dr. Nicolette Verduin - Head of the Public Health Department.
Another highlight of the of the visit was a meeting with the policy advisors from the Department of Public Health, which is responsible for overseeing the implementation of public health initiatives in Bonaire on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Wellness in the Netherlands. These discussions centered on the Department’s ambitious new Transition Plan, aimed at achieving a "Healthy Bonaire" through three strategic pillars: healthy life, healthy living environment, and health protection.
The PAHO/WHO delegation and the Department of Health officials identified several priority areas for technical cooperation in 2024/25, including:
- Obesity and Health in All Policy - Leveraging obesity prevention to develop a comprehensive health strategy.
- NCDs and Lifestyle Interventions - Emphasizing front-of-package labeling, salt reduction, and the implementation of a sugar tax.
- Mental Health Initiatives - Focusing on youth and school-based mental health interventions.
- Health and Climate Change - Addressing the unique challenges climate change poses for Bonaire.
- HIV Strategy - Enhancing efforts to achieve the first 95 of the 95-95-95 HIV testing and treatment goals.
- PAHO/WHO Country Cooperation Strategy - Exploring the development of a tailored strategy for the Dutch Caribbean islands.
PAHO/WHO also shared its ongoing efforts to strengthen relationships with the Dutch Caribbean islands and the Ministry of Health in the Netherlands, acknowledging the challenges in securing funding for these territories which are categorized as high-income.
This successful visit concluded with a clear path forward. PAHO/WHO will provide Bonaire with guidance on developing a Health in All Policy roadmap and key strategic documents including: a Fact Sheet on Health and Climate Change, the Caribbean Action Plan for Health and Climate Change, Caribbean Dietary Guidelines and food safety training manuals. Additionally, PAHO/WHO will facilitate community mental health workshops for Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius in early 2025.
This visit marked a significant step in fostering stronger partnerships and advancing public health goals in the Dutch Caribbean, laying a solid foundation for future collaboration between PAHO/WHO and Bonaire’s health authorities.
