CARPHA Expands (AMR) Surveillance with Introduction of (WGS)
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has enhanced regional laboratory capacity for detecting, monitoring, and responding to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through the introduction of whole genome sequencing (WGS) at the CARPHA Medical Microbiology Laboratory (CMML) in Port of Spain, Trinidad. This advancement strengthens the region’s pandemic preparedness and response. As part of CARPHA’s regional reference laboratory network, CMML supports disease surveillance, outbreak investigations, and public health response across Member States. The WGS service is now operational at the CMML Port of Spain campus, improving the region’s ability to identify and characterise resistant organisms of public health concern and positioning CARPHA as a leader in genomic surveillance in the Caribbean.
Antimicrobial resistance remains one of the most significant global public health threats, contributing to millions of deaths annually and undermining the effectiveness of life-saving treatments. In the Caribbean, limited access to advanced molecular diagnostics has historically constrained the region’s ability to detect emerging resistance mechanisms and track the spread of high-risk pathogens across borders. The growing prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms in hospital and community settings highlights the urgent need for enhanced genomic surveillance. This work aligns with CARPHA’s broader AMR programme and the regional push to strengthen laboratory systems, and coordinated response capacity.
Strengthening AMR detection directly supports regional health security priorities and aligns with CARPHA’s Pandemic Fund Project’s focus on building robust laboratory systems to prevent and respond to infectious disease threats. In partnership with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), as part of the Caribbean Antimicrobial Resistance Alliance (CARA) and with support from the UK Department of Health and Social Care’s Fleming Fund, CARPHA has introduced WGS to provide a comprehensive analysis of the complete genetic material of microorganisms.
In the context of AMR, WGS enables the detection of specific antimicrobial resistance genes and mutations, detection of emerging resistance mechanisms, characterisation of high-risk clones and transmission pathways, investigation of hospital and community outbreaks, and monitoring of the cross-border spread of resistant strains. By generating detailed genomic data, WGS goes beyond conventional susceptibility testing, allowing for more precise tracking of resistance patterns and improved understanding of how resistant organisms evolve and spread within and between countries.
Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA, stated, “The introduction of whole genome sequencing marks an important step forward in strengthening the Caribbean’s capacity to detect and respond to antimicrobial resistance. This enhanced capability supports timelier, evidence-based public health action and reinforces CARPHA’s commitment to advancing laboratory innovation and regional health security for our Member States”.
Dr. Gabriel Escobar, Head of the CARPHA Medical Microbiology Laboratory, underscored that, “Whole genome sequencing gives us a far deeper understanding of resistant organisms than conventional methods alone. By strengthening our ability to detect resistance genes, track transmission patterns, and support outbreak investigations, this technology will significantly improve the quality of AMR surveillance and the public health support CARPHA provides to countries across the Region”.
Building on this milestone, CARPHA will continue to strengthen regional genomic surveillance networks and support Member States in AMR detection and reporting. The integration of WGS serves as a foundation for a more resilient, data-driven public health system, advancing the Caribbean’s collective capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to current and emerging infectious disease threats. CARPHA Member States can now refer isolates to any CARPHA campus to access the WGS service.
