AGP Executive Report

Road Safety & Emergency Care: Two Entrepot Secondary School students, Tatiyanna Innocent and Jeanquan Jn Peirre, are receiving medical treatment after a Cas En Bas vehicle-pedestrian crash left them with serious injuries; police say four vehicles were involved and the school is urgently seeking blood donations at Owen King Hospital. Water Security: Saint Lucia’s Northern Water Project is set to receive over US$22 million, with WASCO replacing damaged pipelines under the John Compton Dam raw water pipeline project to support reliable supply for decades. Public Health Labs: CARPHA wrapped up its CariPHLN workshop in Barbados, bringing together lab directors from across the region to strengthen disease detection, surveillance, diagnostics and coordinated outbreak response. Climate & Child Health: UNICEF-backed research presented in Saint Lucia warns there’s “no safe zone” for Eastern Caribbean children, with more than a third already exposed to multiple climate hazards and projections rising to over nine in ten by mid-century—threatening schools, health facilities and nutrition. Wellness Promotion: Caribbean Wellness Day 2026 launched in Saint Lucia with a focus on youth-led action to reduce non-communicable disease risk. Border & Health Protection: OECS agencies trained in risk management to make ports of entry more coordinated and intelligence-led, including health and standards officers.

Road Safety & Urgent Care: Two Entrepot Secondary School students, Tatiyanna Innocent and Jeanquan Jn Peirre, are receiving medical treatment after a serious Cas En Bas collision on Sept. 18; police say four vehicles were involved and urgent blood donations are being requested at Owen King Hospital. Water Security: Saint Lucia’s Northern Water Project is set to receive over US$22 million, with WASCO replacing damaged pipelines under the John Compton Dam Raw Water Pipeline Replacement plan to improve supply to the northern belt. Border Health & Trade: OECS regulatory and border control agencies trained in risk management to make ports of entry more coordinated and intelligence-led for the movement of goods, with Health and Agriculture among the participating sectors. Wellness & NCD Prevention: Caribbean Wellness Day 2026 launched by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition, spotlighting youth action through PeerVybz and community efforts to reduce non-communicable diseases. Climate & Child Health: UNICEF-backed research presented in Saint Lucia warns there may be “no safe zone” for Eastern Caribbean children, with more than nine in 10 potentially exposed to multiple climate hazards by mid-century. Regional Lab Strengthening: CARPHA wrapped up its CariPHLN workshop in Barbados, bringing together lab directors to improve disease detection, surveillance, and coordinated public health response. Food Security Under Pressure: Agriculture Minister Lisa Jawahir says climate change is already affecting what farmers can grow, water availability, fisheries, and the affordability of nutritious food.

Northern Water Project: Saint Lucia is set to boost water security with the Northern Water Project, backed by over US$22 million, including replacement of damaged pipelines to support reliable supply for decades. Road Safety & Care: A Cas En Bas vehicle-pedestrian crash left three injured, including two students with serious leg and pelvic injuries, prompting renewed calls for safer driving. Youth-Led Wellness: Caribbean Wellness Day 2026 launched with a push to help young people prevent non-communicable diseases through peer support and physical activity initiatives. Border Readiness: St Lucia officers received training to strengthen coordinated, intelligence-led border controls across OECS ports of entry. Climate & Children: UNICEF-backed research warns there may be “no safe zone” for Eastern Caribbean children as overlapping climate threats could expose most children to multiple hazards by mid-century. Health Systems Strengthening: CARPHA wrapped up a regional workshop to improve laboratory preparedness, disease detection, surveillance, and coordinated public health response. Violence Against Women: Police investigations continue after the discovery of a decomposed body near the Millennium Highway; authorities say an arrest was made and DNA identification is pending, while leaders call for renewed national action. Food Security & Farming: Agriculture Minister Lisa Jawahir says climate change is already affecting crops, fisheries, and water—raising the risk of higher food costs and poorer nutrition. Job & Pharmacy Hiring: M&C Drugstore St Lucia is hiring a pharmacist, focused on dispensing, patient advice, and medication safety.

Northern Water Project: Saint Lucia is set to boost water security with the Northern Water Project, backed by over $22 million, including replacement of at least 5 km of aging pipelines to support reliable supply in the northern belt. Road Safety & Care: A Cas En Bas vehicle-pedestrian crash injured three people, including two students, with serious leg and pelvic injuries reported; the Fire Service says more details are expected. Youth Health Push: Caribbean Wellness Day 2026 was launched by the Ministry of Health to tackle non-communicable diseases, spotlighting youth-led action through PeerVybz and physical activity in Vieux-Fort. Border Readiness: Officers from St Lucia’s regulatory and border agencies completed training to strengthen coordinated, intelligence-led risk management at ports of entry. Climate & Child Health Warning: UNICEF-backed research warns there may be “no safe zone” for Eastern Caribbean children, with more than 9 in 10 potentially exposed to multiple climate hazards by mid-century, raising risks for schools and health facilities. Regional Lab Strengthening: CARPHA wrapped up a CariPHLN workshop to improve laboratory networking, surveillance, diagnostics and public health response across the Caribbean.

Climate & Child Health: A UNICEF-commissioned study warns that children across the Eastern Caribbean may have “no safe zone” from overlapping climate hazards, with more than one-third already exposed to at least three risks and projections rising to over nine in 10 by mid-century; researchers also flag hotter days (80+ more above 30°C), longer droughts, and stronger hurricanes—threats that can hit schools and health facilities. Climate Planning Gaps: The same UNICEF work says regional climate plans often lack child-specific targets and tracking, making it hard to prove whether climate spending is actually helping children. CARPHA Lab Preparedness: CARPHA’s CariPHLN workshop in Barbados brought together lab directors from across the region to strengthen disease detection, surveillance, diagnostic coordination, and public health response. Heat in Schools (St. Lucia): Schools are adjusting during intense heat—allowing water breaks during class, monitoring for heat distress symptoms, and using shade, ventilation, and outdoor teaching where possible. Food & Water Security: Agriculture Minister Lisa Jawahir says climate change is already affecting what farmers can grow, water availability, fisheries, and the affordability of nutritious food. Violence Against Women (St. Lucia): Opposition and gender officials are calling for renewed national action after the discovery of a decomposed body near the Millennium Highway; police say DNA and post-mortem steps are ongoing and an arrest has been made.

Heat & school health: Saint Lucia schools are making emergency adjustments during intense heat—allowing students to drink water during class, encouraging reporting of heat-stress symptoms, and using shade, fans and cross-ventilation where full air-conditioning isn’t feasible. Climate risks to children: A UNICEF-commissioned Eastern Caribbean analysis warns there’s “no safe zone” for children—more than a third are already in areas exposed to at least three climate hazards, with projections rising to over nine in ten by mid-century; it also flags exposure of schools and health facilities. Food security & health links: Agriculture Minister Lisa Jawahir says climate change is already affecting what farmers can grow, water availability and even fish resources, which could raise the cost and access to nutritious food. Regional lab strengthening: CARPHA wrapped up a CariPHLN workshop in Barbados to boost laboratory networking, surveillance, diagnostic coordination and faster public health response across the Caribbean, including Saint Lucia. Violence against women: Opposition and gender leaders are calling violence against women a national emergency after the discovery of a decomposed body near the Millennium Highway, with DNA testing and a police investigation underway. Health workforce training: PAHO and UWI completed a health policy and systems postgraduate programme cohort, training professionals from across the region including Saint Lucia. Local pharmacy hiring: M&C Drugstore St Lucia is hiring a pharmacist.

Climate & Children: A UNICEF study says 40 climate plans across Barbados and five Eastern Caribbean countries—including Saint Lucia—miss child-focused tracking, with no child-specific indicators or measurable outcome targets, making it hard to prove climate money benefits children. Heat & Health: The same research warns one in three children in the region already live where at least three climate hazards overlap, with exposure rising sharply by mid-century; Saint Lucia’s agriculture minister says climate impacts are already hitting farming, fisheries, water and the affordability of nutritious food. Health Security Labs: CARPHA wrapped up its 11th CariPHLN workshop in Bridgetown, bringing together 26 lab directors to strengthen disease detection, surveillance, diagnostic coordination and public health response across the Caribbean. Violence Against Women: Police investigations continue after a decomposed female body was found near the Millennium Highway; DNA testing is pending, while leaders call violence against women a national emergency. Local Health Support: Saint Lucia schools are adjusting during intense heat—allowing water in class and urging students to report symptoms early. Jobs: M&C Drugstore St Lucia is hiring a pharmacist.

Child Climate Risk: A UNICEF-backed study warns there’s “no safe zone” for Eastern Caribbean children, with over a third of children, schools and health facilities already exposed to at least three climate hazards—rising to more than nine in ten by mid-century. Regional Lab Readiness: CARPHA wrapped up its 11th CariPHLN workshop in Barbados, bringing together 26 lab directors to strengthen disease detection, surveillance, diagnostic coordination and specimen transport across the Caribbean. Heat and Health in Schools: Saint Lucia schools are adjusting during intense heat—allowing students to drink water in class, pushing early reporting of heat distress, and using shade and ventilation where full air-conditioning isn’t feasible. Food and Water Security: Agriculture Minister Lisa Jawahir says climate change is already hitting what farmers can grow, water availability, fisheries, and the affordability of nutritious food. Violence Against Women: Opposition leader Allen Chastanet called violence against women a “national emergency” after the body of 21-year-old Merrisa Auguste was found near the Millennium Highway; police say identity is pending DNA and one person is in custody. Health Systems Support: PAHO and UWI’s health policy programme is building Caribbean health leadership, training 11 professionals across eight countries including Saint Lucia. Infrastructure for Resilience: RIISE has begun operations to help governments speed up climate-resilient projects, with Saint Lucia able to request support for areas including health, water, transport and disaster recovery.

Regional Public Health Labs: CARPHA wrapped up its 11th CariPHLN workshop in Bridgetown, bringing 26 lab directors (including Saint Lucia) together to strengthen disease detection, surveillance, diagnostic coordination, specimen handling, and data-sharing across the Caribbean. Climate & Health Risks: A UNICEF-commissioned child-centred climate analysis warns Eastern Caribbean dry spells could last 3–4 months a year by mid-century, raising risks for water, farming, malnutrition, and school disruption. Local Food & Water Pressure: Agriculture Minister Lisa Jawahir says climate change is already hitting Saint Lucia’s crops, fisheries, and water availability—ultimately affecting access to nutritious food. Health System Capacity: PAHO and UWI’s postgraduate health policy programme continues building Caribbean health leadership, training professionals from multiple countries including Saint Lucia. Heat in Schools: Saint Lucia schools are adjusting during intense heat—allowing water breaks during class and urging students to report heat distress symptoms early. Violence Against Women: Opposition leader Allen Chastanet and Gender Affairs Minister Emma Hippolyte both called for renewed action after the discovery of a decomposed body near the Millennium Highway, with identity pending DNA testing. Justice Update: Two men have been charged with the murder of Julius Charles, following earlier arrests and court remand. Health Workforce Planning: Dominica is developing a centralized health workforce database and dashboard to improve planning and pandemic preparedness. Infrastructure Delivery: RIISE has begun operations to help Saint Lucia and other Eastern Caribbean governments push climate-resilient projects past implementation bottlenecks.

Violence Against Women: Opposition leader Allen Chastanet called violence against women a “national emergency” after the body of 23-year-old Merrisa Auguste was found near the Millennium Highway; police say DNA testing is being used to confirm identity and one person is in custody. Homicide Update: Two men, Kurtney Eunude and Zidane James, have been charged with the murder of 47-year-old Julius Charles, following an earlier attempted murder investigation and his later death. Mental Health & Suicide Prevention: The Ministry of Health is stepping up suicide prevention efforts for World Suicide Prevention Day, with free community counselling options highlighted and mental health leaders urging people to talk and seek help. Health System Strengthening: CARPHA is supporting Saint Lucia to put a regional digital early warning surveillance system into operation, helping officials spot and respond to public health threats faster. Heat & School Safety: Schools are adjusting rules during intense heat, including allowing students to drink water during class and encouraging reporting of heat distress symptoms. Regional Lab Preparedness: CARPHA’s workshop in Barbados brought lab directors together to strengthen Caribbean laboratory preparedness and faster detection of health threats. Resilient Infrastructure Support: Saint Lucia is among countries gaining access to the RIISE facility to speed up climate-resilient infrastructure delivery, including support for health-related projects. Wellness & Food Security: The Agriculture Ministry is promoting “hobby farming” in urban areas as a health and food-safety support during supply chain pressures and extreme heat.

Suicide Prevention Push: Saint Lucia is ramping up suicide prevention ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, with mental health leaders urging people to “change the narrative” by talking openly and offering support, plus reminders that free counselling is available through community services and wellness centres. Health Surveillance Upgrade: CARPHA is supporting Saint Lucia to put the Regional Integrated Early Warning Surveillance System (RIEWSS) into operation, bringing public health alerts onto one dashboard so officials can spot and respond to threats faster. Workforce Planning in the Region: PAHO and UWI wrapped up a health policy and health systems postgraduate programme, training professionals from across the Caribbean including Saint Lucia to strengthen leadership on workforce shortages and non-communicable diseases. Heatwave School Adjustments: Schools across Saint Lucia are easing classroom rules to protect students during intense heat, including allowing water breaks during lessons and encouraging early reporting of heat-stress symptoms. Community Safety & Health: Police say DNA testing will confirm whether a decomposed body found near the Millennium Highway is missing woman Merrisa Auguste, while one person remains in custody. Infrastructure for Resilience: RIISE has started operations, and Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines can now access technical help to move climate-resilient infrastructure projects from planning to completion.

Suicide Prevention Push: Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Health is stepping up suicide prevention efforts for World Suicide Prevention Day, urging people to “break the silence” and reminding residents that free mental health support is available through community counselling and wellness centres. Health Surveillance Upgrade: CARPHA is supporting Saint Lucia to put the Regional Integrated Early Warning Surveillance System (RIEWSS) into operation, bringing multiple public health signals onto one dashboard for faster, smarter decisions. Workforce & Policy Training: PAHO and the University of the West Indies wrapped up a postgraduate programme in health policy and health systems, training 11 professionals across eight Caribbean countries, including Saint Lucia. Heatwave School Adjustments: Schools across Saint Lucia are making emergency changes to protect students during intense heat—more water access, symptom reporting, and cooling measures like shade and ventilation. Regional Climate Support: Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines can now access the RIISE facility for technical help to speed up climate-resilient infrastructure delivery. Local Health Accountability: The UWP is calling for an audit of the St Jude Hospital reconstruction after years of delays and incomplete commissioning.

Suicide Prevention Push: Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Health is ramping up suicide prevention ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, urging people to “break the silence” and start lifesaving conversations, with mental health leaders stressing empathy, listening, and quick referral to wellness centres. Free Community Mental Health Support: Nurses say free counselling is available in many communities as a first step for mild anxiety, with referrals to clinical services when needed. Health Surveillance Upgrade: CARPHA is supporting Saint Lucia to launch a new regional digital early warning surveillance system, bringing public health data onto one dashboard for faster, smarter responses. Heatwave School Adjustments: Schools are relaxing rules so students can drink water during class and report heat distress symptoms, using shade, ventilation, fans, and outdoor teaching where possible. Prostate Cancer Awareness Month: The Ministry is running a month-long campaign encouraging men to learn about screening myths and adopt healthier lifestyles, noting prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men. Local Health System Accountability: UWP is calling for an independent audit of the St Jude Hospital reconstruction, arguing partial commissioning and delays have left the facility short of a fully functioning general hospital.

Suicide Prevention Push: Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Health is stepping up World Suicide Prevention Day efforts, urging people to “break the silence” and start lifesaving conversations, with mental health leaders stressing kindness, listening, and quick referral to free wellness-centre support. Community Mental Health Access: Free counselling is available across many communities through Community Health Nursing Services, with nurses guiding people from mild anxiety support to specialist pathways when needed. Public Health Readiness: CARPHA is helping Saint Lucia roll out a new regional digital early-warning surveillance system, bringing health threat signals onto one dashboard so officials can respond faster and more holistically. Heatwave School Measures: Schools are adjusting rules during intense heat—students can drink water during class, report heat distress symptoms early, and classes are being managed with shade, fans, and ventilation. Prostate Cancer Awareness: The Ministry is running a month-long prostate cancer campaign for men to tackle myths, focus on healthy lifestyles, and take screening seriously, noting prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men. Water Security Debate: A look at whether desalination could help solve St. Lucia’s water problems, weighing climate pressure and infrastructure needs. Health System Accountability: UWP is calling for an audit of the St Jude Hospital reconstruction, arguing delays and spending have left the facility short of full clinical operation. Regional Health Training: PAHO and UWI graduated the third cohort of a health policy and health systems programme, building leadership capacity across the Caribbean, including Saint Lucia. Safety & Justice Watch: A Quebec doctor was found guilty of assault and counselling someone to commit an offence tied to forging a diary entry to discredit a patient, while other charges were acquitted.

Suicide Prevention Push: Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Health is stepping up suicide prevention ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, urging people to “break the silence” and reminding residents that support is available, including free counselling through community services and referrals to mental wellness centres. Mental Health Access: A nurse says free, client-centred counselling sessions are available in almost every community, with guidance for mild anxiety and referrals for more clinical needs. Health Surveillance Upgrade: CARPHA is supporting Saint Lucia to launch a new regional digital early warning surveillance system, bringing public health alerts onto one dashboard to help officials respond faster to threats. Prostate Cancer Awareness: The Ministry of Health is running a month-long prostate cancer awareness campaign, focusing on myths, screening misconceptions, and healthier lifestyles; prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men locally. Heatwave School Measures: Schools are adjusting during intense heat—relaxing rules so students can drink water during class, encouraging reporting of heat distress symptoms, and using shade and ventilation where full air conditioning isn’t feasible. Water Security Debate: A look at whether desalination could help solve Saint Lucia’s water problems amid climate pressure. Local Health Accountability: UWP is calling for an audit of the reconstructed St Jude Hospital project, arguing it’s not fully functioning as a hospital despite years of delays. Winter Wellness Travel: A new Caribbean spa resort in St Lucia markets longevity-focused wellness treatments, including clinical staff and advanced therapies. Missing Woman Update: DNA testing will determine whether a decomposed body found near the Millennium Highway is that of missing Merrisa Auguste; one person is in custody. Community Safety: A man was shot dead in Arnos Vale, bringing the number of businesspeople killed near the sporting complex since 2023 to three.

Heatwave school updates: Saint Lucia schools are easing classroom rules to protect students during intense heat, including allowing drinking water during lessons, encouraging students to report dizziness, headaches, nausea, weakness, extreme fatigue or fainting, and using shade, fans, cross-ventilation and some outdoor teaching since full campus air-conditioning is considered too costly and energy-heavy. Suicide prevention push: Ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10, the Ministry of Health is stepping up nationwide efforts, urging open conversations and kindness, with free community counselling available in many areas and referrals to mental wellness services when needed. Health surveillance upgrade: CARPHA is supporting Saint Lucia to put a new regional digital early-warning surveillance system (RIEWSS) into operation, bringing public health alerts onto one dashboard for faster, more coordinated decisions. Prostate cancer awareness: The Ministry is running a month-long September campaign to tackle myths, promote healthy lifestyles, and encourage men to take proactive steps, noting prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men locally. Labour Act revision: The Department of Labour has started a review of the Labour Act to modernise protections for a changing workplace, with stakeholder consultations already underway. St Jude Hospital audit call: The UWP is again calling for a comprehensive independent audit of the St Jude Hospital reconstruction, citing long delays and major spending. Water resilience debate: A new look at whether desalination can solve Saint Lucia’s water problems is gaining attention as climate pressures mount. Crime and health link: A man in Arnos Vale was shot dead, bringing the number of businesspeople murdered near the sporting complex since 2023 to three, with medical attention provided at Milton Cato Memorial Hospital before his death. Climate grants (regional): CABRIC grant funding is opening for locally led climate resilience projects across participating countries, with Saint Lucia included among the five.