The OECS Commission congratulates Dr. Rhonda Sealey-Thomas of Antigua and Barbuda on her appointment as the new Assistant Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Office for the Americas. On October 12, 2023, Dr. Sealy-Thomas was sworn in at the PAHO Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Sealey-Thomas has over 25 years of experience working with the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Health and other organizations. She was Antigua and Barbuda’s Chief Medical Officer from 2005 until 2023. Her leadership during Antigua and Barbuda’s reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak was particularly noteworthy.
Dr. Sealy Thomas expressed gratitude for the appointment during her acceptance remarks during the swearing-in event. She said,
You may appreciate my tremendous joy and sense of success today as I stand at a crossroads in my life, where my dream of assisting communities in remaining healthy and well and serving in this world-renowned organization is coming true.
During her remarks, Dr. Sealey-Thomas also shared some of her vision for her new job as Assistant Director. She stressed the significance of unity and collaboration in confronting the Americas’ key health concerns, such as noncommunicable illnesses, new risks, and climate change. She claims that
Today, we are all aware of the severe difficulties affecting the health and well-being of millions of people in the Americas; noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) remain a huge danger to our societies. It is vital to manage emerging dangers, including future pandemics, and to build resilient health systems based on revived and improved primary healthcare to respond to those threats.
Dr. Sealey-Thomas went on to say,
I am looking forward to investigating the effects of record-breaking temperatures on our populations and collaborating with our teams here at PAHO to develop the education and preventive measures required to mitigate and manage the effects of climate change on the health and well-being of the people of the Americas.
She ended her speech by emphasizing that ‘our joint efforts are the driving force behind developing healthier, more resilient, and more equitable societies throughout the Americas.’
The ceremony took place in the British Virgin Islands at the 9th OECS Council of Ministers: Health Ministers. Ministers interrupted their deliberations to watch the swearing-in ceremony online, and they congratulated Dr. Sealey-Thomas and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda.
The OECS Commission congratulates Dr. Sealey-Thomas on this outstanding achievement and looks forward to collaborating with her to actualize her vision for a healthier, more resilient, and equitable Americas, particularly within the OECS.
