Dr. Godfrey Xuereb, PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, has presented his credentials to Anguilla’s Governor, Her Excellency Ms. Christina Scott. His particular area of responsibility includes the British Overseas Territories of Anguilla, BVI and Montserrat, as well as a number of French Territories.
The top health official met Governor Scott on Friday, June 12, as part of his familiarisation visit to the island. He was accompanied by Ms. Katrina Smith, the PAHO Country Programme Specialist, who is resident in Anguilla.
Prior to his arrival, Dr. Xuereb met Anguilla’s newly-appointed Minister of Health and Social Development, the Hon. Evans McNiel Rogers, at the recently-concluded Health Minister’s Conference in Barbados. His visit to Anguilla afforded him an opportunity to familiarise himself with the island’s health caresystem, meet a number of health officials, and gather information on such matters as Non-Communicable Diseases which are of much concern across the region.
The PAHO/WHO Representative, who is based in Barbados, updated Governor Scott on some of the main regional initiatives in which the organisations are involved: a survey of Non-Communicable Diseases in the islands, the preventative measures being taken, and the impact the NCDs are having on the populations and health systems. The Governor and Dr. Xuereb were able to exchange views on these and other related matters.