Health policymakers and senior health officials from across the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States gathered in Grenada this week for the 38th OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement Service Policy Board meeting and the 11th Council of OECS Health Ministers to advance regional cooperation on medicines access and health service delivery.
On 21 October 2025, the PPS Policy Board met for a full day of deliberations focused on improving access to essential medicines. One of the major topics discussed was a public private partnership, already established in St. Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis that provides reduced cost for insulin, a critical medication for people living with diabetes.
Health leaders hailed this development as a transformative achievement in regional pharmaceutical equity, with the potential to save lives and ease financial burdens for thousands of families.
The announcement was officially made by the Hon. Philip Telesford, Grenada’s Minister of Health and Chair of the OECS Council of Health Ministers, during a press briefing on the 22 October 2025. The Grenadian Health Minster urged other member states to adopt similar approaches to expand access to insulin.
According to Chairman Telesford, such an arrangement can create greater access to the life-saving medicine at significantly reduced prices, and it will improve affordability for people living with diabetes, and reduce financial strain on families across the region.
The PPS Policy Board, guided by regional champion Mr. Francis Burnett, Interim Head OECS-PPS, which was established nearly forty years ago, declared the insulin pricing initiative as a significant advance.
“Once member-states gets onboard it means their citizens will be able to access insulin in the public and private sectors at significantly reduced prices”, he explained.
The OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement Service currently procures approximately 120,000 vials of insulin annually, and reduced prices will have a positive impact on both public health outcomes and procurement budgets.
Meanwhile, Director General of the OECS, H.E. Dr. Didacus Jules, underscored the importance of regional solidarity and a shared vision in addressing the geopolitical, financial, and health challenges facing member states. He described the meetings as highly productive and thanked the Government of Grenada for its hospitality.
The meetings also addressed broader health priorities, such as:
- Strengthening pooled procurement systems to maintain reliable regional supply chain
- Expanding access to specialized health services through coordinated regional efforts
- Enhancing collaboration to respond to potential reductions in health funding and future challenges
The two-day meetings combined technical and strategic planning with agreements aimed at deepening cooperation and delivering tangible health benefits for OECS citizens. Member-states will work to formalize procurement arrangements and explore public-private partnership models to scale affordable insulin access and other health priorities across the region.
