On March 20, 2026, the Caribbean nation of Grenada played host to a pivotal international gathering addressing one of the most pressing gaps in global public health: cancer care access for populations living in geographically isolated regions. The International Conference on Cancer in Geographically Isolated Populations (ICCGIP), convened this year under the core theme “Medical Travel for Cancer Care — Navigating Access, Quality, and Equity,” drew participation from dozens of regional and global health stakeholders, including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), a leading public health body for the Americas region.
The conference was structured to unpack the unique set of systemic, economic and social challenges that shape cancer outcomes in small island nations and remote, isolated communities, while also identifying untapped opportunities to expand care access through collaborative action. In opening remarks delivered on behalf of Dr Amalia Del Riego, PAHO/WHO Representative to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries, Dr Taraleen Malcolm, Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Advisor at the PAHO/WHO Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, reaffirmed PAHO’s longstanding commitment to supporting its member states in expanding equitable access to every stage of cancer care, from prevention and early diagnosis through to ongoing treatment and survivorship support.
During her address, Dr Malcolm centered the lived realities of cancer patients across the Caribbean, a region made up almost entirely of small island developing states. She explained that limited local specialized medical infrastructure and small national patient populations mean the majority of advanced cancer diagnoses require cross-border medical travel to access life-saving treatment. While this medical travel is often essential, Dr Malcolm emphasized that it imposes crippling financial, logistical, and emotional strain on patients and their families, barriers that widen already existing health inequities, particularly for low-income and otherwise vulnerable groups.
To address these gaps, Dr Malcolm called for a coordinated, region-wide response rooted in a people-first care model. Key priorities she outlined include strengthening local early detection and patient referral systems within individual countries, streamlining coordination and quality assurance for care accessed outside national borders, and guaranteeing uninterrupted continuity of care when patients return to their home countries after receiving treatment abroad. She also stressed the urgent need for expanded cross-country collaboration, including shared service arrangements, expanded access to tele-oncology, and targeted investment in training and retaining a robust local health workforce — all steps that would gradually reduce regional reliance on overseas cancer care over time.
Joining the conference proceedings virtually, Dr Frederique Dorleans, Advisor for Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity and Focal Point for the French Territories of the Americas at the PAHO/WHO Barbados and Eastern Caribbean office, highlighted existing diagnostic and treatment capacity in the French Caribbean territories of Martinique and Guadeloupe. She positioned these territories as valuable regional partners, with the existing expertise to support neighboring isolated communities in expanding access to high-quality cancer care. Dr Dorleans also outlined PAHO’s ongoing work to foster closer cross-Caribbean cooperation, including facilitating the exchange of evidence-based best practices, supporting cross-border knowledge sharing, and advancing more integrated regional models of cancer care delivery — all work aligned with PAHO’s broader mandate to advance equitable health outcomes and strengthen health system resilience across the entire Americas region.
In closing comments, Dr Del Riego noted that convenings like ICCGIP fill a critical gap in global health governance, providing a dedicated platform for small island states to share lived experiences and co-develop collaborative, people-centered approaches to cancer care that keep equity and quality at the forefront, even in resource-limited small island developing contexts.
The conference concluded as a key milestone for regional public health, offering a valuable space to align policy frameworks, on-the-ground practice, and cross-sector partnerships to address the unique barriers to cancer care in geographically isolated small island developing states. PAHO’s participation in the event reinforced the organization’s ongoing commitment to working with national governments and global partners to ensure geographic location does not predetermine cancer outcomes, and that all people, regardless of where they live, can access timely, high-quality, and equitable cancer care.