Caribbean countries agreed on a roadmap to begin exchanging health data by 2028 during the ONE Caribbean Connect Regional Policy Dialogue organised by the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) in Trinidad and Tobago. 

During the two‑day high‑level event, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago advanced a shared plan that will enable secure health information exchange, expand digital health solutions, and ultimately improve access to quality health care across the region. 

Held under the IDB Group’s ONE Caribbean regional program for sustainable development, the dialogue strengthened ongoing efforts to bolster digital health collaboration, aligning with the regional program’s cross‑cutting focus on institutional capacity and digital transformation.  

A joint initiative of the IDB and Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), ONE Caribbean Connect builds on the growing momentum of the Pan-American Highway for Digital Health (PH4H), as countries work to align governance frameworks, policies, standards, and data management systems to accelerate national progress through coordinated regional action. 

The main outcome of the event was the ONE Caribbean Digital Health Roadmap Commitment, a shared blueprint outlining priority governance, legal, policy, and interoperability actions to enable health data exchange by 2028. The roadmap translates national strategies into a coherent regional direction, identifying concrete milestones, sequencing of actions, and areas where coordinated support will deliver the greatest impact for the Caribbean participation in PH4H. Together, these commitments establish a practical foundation for sustained and collaborative implementation. 

Leaders from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and PAHO provided key technical inputs throughout the dialogue and supported the development of the commitment.  

In opening the event, Ferdinando Regalia, IDB Social Sector Manager, stated that “the ability to share health data across borders, in a secure and interoperable way, is no longer optional – it is essential to protect continuity of care, manage public health risks and ensure fairness in access to services for mobile populations.” 

The dialogue also identified a package of regional support needs, including peer learning, technical clinics, shared tools and templates, and targeted capacity building, which will be consolidated into an actionable three-year work plan under ONE Caribbean Connect. This will guide implementation, foster accountability, and support countries as they move from planning to delivery. 

Implemented collectively, the Digital Health Roadmap will help countries strengthen institutions, optimise resources, and improve health outcomes and service delivery, ultimately empowering people across the Caribbean to access and share their health information, while improving quality and person-centred health care and improving lives.