On December 1st, Saint Lucia joins the global community in commemorating World AIDS Day. This year, there was a call for countries to acknowledge the challenges that persist while recommitting to bold, transformative action to end AIDS as a public health threat. In 2024 in Saint Lucia, 35 new HIV infections were recorded, and to date in 2025, 17 new cases have been documented—figures that will continue to evolve as surveillance improves. AIDS-related deaths have steadily declined, from 21 deaths in 2005, to 16 in 2023, 11 in 2024, and 5 thus far in 2025. Saint Lucia has made significant strides in its AIDS response in areas such as relocation of Sexual and Reproductive Clinic, resumption of viral load testing, ongoing works to restore access to CD4 testing, scale up training for rapid HIV and syphilis testers, enhance capacity in STI management and maintaining reliable antiretroviral therapy stocks, to name a few.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs has officially launched the skin health camp which is focused on assessing skin health of people and providing the necessary preventive medication and treatment. This community focused health initiative is part of an integrated approach to eliminate leprosy and ensure early detection of other skin diseases. The first skin health camp was held at the Anse La Raye Wellness Centre and provided residents with the services of dermatological screening, treatment and health education at NO COST. The skin health camp will also be held in other communities around the island. The Fourteen health care workers which includes community dermatologists, medical doctors, nurses and community health aides are trained in contact tracing to provide support in the identification and diagnosis of leprosy and other skin conditions.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs in partnership with the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust will be working towards strengthening the emergency care system in Saint Lucia. This collaboration will entail a pilot learning exchange program where healthcare professionals and UK-based experts will exchange knowledge, best practices and practical approaches to deliver high-quality emergency care on island. Emergency room and urgent care nurses participated in the first phase of this initiative where they received training in intensive clinical skills development. The visiting team from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust also conducted site visits to several healthcare facilities across the island to gain insights on the outlook of the learning exchange programme and future phases of collaboration.

Saint Lucia is well on its way to strengthening its capacity in rapid HIV and syphilis testing and improving the quality of laboratory services on island, following the completion of the Master Trainers Training Programme which is part of the OECS Global Fund HIV/TB Project. The programme was implemented through the engagement of the Caribbean Med Labs Foundation, contracted to provide technical support and build sustainable laboratory training capacity. The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs nominated four healthcare professionals to undergo certification as Master Trainers. These candidates participated in structured training sessions that combined both theoretical and practical components to ensure a high standard of competency and consistency in testing procedures. The Master Trainers will serve as the frontline point of contact, offering clarity, reassurance, and informed direction to those navigating the screening process.

The Environmental Health Division within the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs invites butchers around the island to a special meeting and training session on Tuesday December 9, 2025 at 9am.

Stakeholders from various sectors such as national security, public health, secondary health facilities and government ministries met recently in a seminar to discuss the Early Warning System for Drugs in Saint Lucia. This seminar is expected to build the capacity of stakeholders to successfully implement the Early Warning System for drugs and also be better able to detect and respond to new and emerging psychoactive substances. The seminar was made possible through the technical support and funding from Organisation of America States/ Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission OAS-CICAD and the Government of Italy. The Early Warning System for Drugs was launched in Saint Lucia in October 2024.