Mr. Chairman, delegates, specially invited guests, and church members present at this 18th quinquennial session of the Caribbean Union Conference (CARU), I greet you in the wonderful name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. I would like to present to you at this time, the report of the Health Ministries Department of CARU for the period under review.
During the quinquennium under review, the activities of the Health Ministries Department of the Caribbean Union were captured under three (3) major categories: i) Visits from the higher organization, ii) CARU programs and activities, and iii) Highlights from the local fields.
Visits from the Higher Organization
The Health Ministries Director of the IAD/President of Adventist Healthcare Services – Inter-America (AHS-IA), Dr Franck Généus, visited CARU from June 8-16, 2024. The purpose of his visit was to get acquainted with the main SDA healthcare institutions in the Caribbean Union namely the Community Hospital in Trinidad and the Davis Memorial Hospital in Guyana. His visit also involved brief stops in Barbados and St Kitts.
Dr Généus made another visit to the East Caribbean Conference from May 25th – June 2nd, 2025, as the featured speaker at two important initiatives of the Health Ministries Department of the Conference.
IAD Programs
Participation in IAD Health Ministries Advisories
During the quinquennium, the Health Ministries Director of CARU attended two advisories/summits convened by the Health Ministries Director of the Inter-American Division where he was apprised of developments in the Health Ministries Department of the IAD. These were very informative and engaging.
Health Ministries Week Celebrations
The annual Health Ministries Week of Emphasis was observed by all the fields of CARU during the quinquennium.
CARU Programs
In keeping with the planned programmatic initiatives of the Caribbean Union Conference Health Ministries Department for the quinquennium under review, the Department hosted an advisory for health directors from the local fields from January 24 – 26, 2023. The advisory was held on the campus of the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC) under the theme, “I Will Go: Enhancing the Health and Well-being of the Church and the Community”.
Honoring a promise made to delegates at the 17th quinquennium session of CARU in 2022, the Health Ministries Department expanded its Health Promoters Training Program to six additional conferences/missions, bringing the total number of participating fields to nine. These were memorable occasions. Over 250 persons have been trained and certified so far as health promoters.
In an effort to highlight the work of Health Ministries in the Caribbean Union, the Department collaborated with the Communication Department to prepare a special issue of the Gleanings which was released during the second quarter of 2025. The Health Ministries Department was the main contributor to this special edition.
One of the major accomplishments of the Health Ministries Department during the quinquennium was the preparation of the adult readings for CARU’s Holy Spirit Emphasis Week, 2024.
The Caribbean Union participated in the special commemoration of the 162nd anniversary of the Health Reform vision by Ellen White, organized by the IAD Health Department and held on June 6, 2025.
The University of the Southern Caribbean (USC) partnered with United Hands Inc., the Caribbean Union Conference, the South Caribbean Conference, the Community Hospital, and a number of governmental and non-governmental institutions to host the FreeDOM Clinic from March 13 to 16, 2023. This initiative was dubbed “A Mission of Hope & Healing”.
Dr Isaacs visited the islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas in the North Caribbean Conference during Health Ministries Week, observed from September 17 to 27, 2023, and conducted a special health series on the islands.
Dr Alexander Isaacs was the featured speaker at the Tobago Adventists Health Professionals Association (AHPA) Chapter’s Annual Prayer Retreat held from March 3 – 5, 2023, at the Bellissimo Boutique Hotel in Buccoo. The event was conducted under the theme, “Mending the Broken Right Arm”.
