A milestone for public health capacity-building in Antigua and Barbuda has been reached this term, as the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS) has officially welcomed its inaugural group of students into its brand-new Environmental Health degree programme. This launch fills a critical gap in specialised local training for future public health practitioners, eliminating the need for aspiring environmental health professionals to pursue full training abroad.
During an official welcome visit to ABCAS’s Dr. Alister Francis Campus, Health Minister Michael Joseph highlighted the foundational importance of this emerging field to community well-being across the twin-island nation. Environmental health practitioners, he explained, work at the intersection of environmental conditions and population health, addressing everything from food safety and sanitation to vector control and affordable healthy housing — work that forms the first line of defense against preventable public health crises.
Minister Joseph extended his encouragement to the new students, noting that their upcoming training will prepare them for careers dedicated to elevating public health outcomes and creating safer, healthier living environments for all residents of Antigua and Barbuda.
The new programme is the product of a targeted collaborative partnership between ABCAS and the country’s Ministry of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs. It was developed as a core strategic initiative to boost domestic capacity in environmental health and public health management, aligning with national goals to strengthen the country’s healthcare and public health systems over the long term.
Joining Minister Joseph for the campus visit was a cohort of senior health and education leaders, including Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Teri-Ann Joseph — who also serves as the lecturer for the programme’s foundational Introduction to Public Health course. Additional attendees included Daryl Spencer, Deputy Chief Health Inspector at the Central Board of Health, Assata Roberts, Principal of the Dr. Alister Francis Campus, Vice Principal Sonia Whittaker, and Linda Salmon, Head of the Department of Science and Health Services at ABCAS.