The annual Cayman Islands Healthcare Conference will take place from 20 to 22 October at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, returning to its three-day format after two years of a virtual and in-person hybrid due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As in pre-pandemic years, there will be presentations and panels featuring both local and international healthcare professionals as well as exhibitors from healthcare related organisations and various charities. The virtual portion of the 2021 edition had more than 8000 views on the CIGTV YouTube channel over the three days of the conference.   

The theme for the 2022 conference is Your Health | Promotion, Prevention & Positive Intervention and will focus on non-communicable diseases (NCD) which are non-infectious health conditions that last for a long period of time and are also known as chronic diseases. These include hypertension, coronary artery diseases, cerebrovascular disorders, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, cancers and so on. Other areas of focus include occupational health; dental health; disorders affecting the youth; genomic sequencing; and organ transplants. In addition, one half day during the conference will be dedicated specifically to mental health.

“It is my pleasure to lead the Ministry’s hosting of the 13^th annual Cayman Islands Healthcare Conference. As I’ve previously said, my aim as Minister for Health and Wellness is to promote and facilitate healthy behaviours that will result in better physical and mental health outcomes, not only on an individual level but collectively as a country. It is this Government’s vision to see our citizens not just surviving but thriving. This can only be done in partnership with likeminded persons who are willing to advocate for their personal health by asking themselves and their medical practitioners the important or worrying health-related questions, then taking the positive steps that lead them to better health once they have been empowered with the answers. This conference will help them do just that,” said Hon. Sabrina Turner.

“I am particularly heartened to see that one half day of the conference will focus on mental health. In October we will be observing World Mental Health Day 2022 under the theme Making Mental Health & Well-Being for All a Global Priority. Locally, this administration has already begun taking steps toward further prioritising mental health. Included in the Strategic Policy Statement are specific objectives aimed at providing more holistic and available mental health services for the people of the Cayman Islands. Some of these are a specialised youth mental health facility; better mental health and special needs insurance coverage; and programmes that offer greater work/life balance and which support family systems. We also look forward to the opening of the long-awaited and much-needed mental health facility later this year, further evidence of our commitment to ensuring that persons living with mental health conditions have access to quality community-based mental health services and that their rights and best interests are protected.” 

Lizzette Yearwood, Chair of the Conference Planning Committee and CEO of the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority, echoed the Minister’s sentiments.  

“Every year the annual Healthcare Conference demonstrates its relevance and value to this community; this year is no different. As the country starts to return to some semblance of normality, we are learning to live with COVID in the community, a new mindset which allows us to enjoy the liberties that we had pre-pandemic while understanding that the virus is ever with us. With these freedoms come a responsibility and an opportunity to assess our health and overall wellbeing to see how we can live our best lives mentally, physically, emotionally, environmentally and spiritually. This conference aims to provide the tools for attendees to do so. It is an opportunity for attendees to increase their knowledge about such conditions as non-communicable diseases (NCD), ask the experts, and perhaps recognise the importance of prioritising their health even more than ever,” said Ms. Yearwood.  

In previous years, the event has attracted over 1200 attendees and sponsors from various sectors of the community, including healthcare workers, small to medium business owners, parents, human resource managers, insurance company representatives, fitness and wellness professionals, and members of the public. This year Health City Cayman Islands has signed on as title sponsor once again. Chief Business Officer Shomari Scott said, “We are once again delighted to have the pleasure of being the title sponsor of the Cayman Islands Healthcare Conference. Bringing together not just medical professionals, but policy makers and the public allows us, as a community, to focus on the wellness of our community in a holistic manner, something that Health City places great importance on.”  

He added: “We are committed to the continued elevating of healthcare standards in the Cayman Islands and providing more solutions that are accessible to our people. That’s why we look forward to, in a few short months, opening Health City Camana Bay, which will feature comprehensive offerings that will feature a Cancer Care Centre with comprehensive and advanced oncology offerings.”

Registration for the conference will open in September. The event is free and open to the public and Continuing Medical Education (CME) certificates will be available for each presentation.

The 13^th annual Cayman Islands Healthcare Conference is sponsored by Health City Cayman Islands, Ministry of Health & Wellness, Cayman Islands Health Services Authority, Integra Healthcare, Doctors Hospital, Kelly Holding Ltd., Cayman Hearing Centre Ltd., Baptist Health International and The Wellness Centre.

For more information and available sponsorship opportunities contact Laurie-Ann Holding on [email protected] or 1 (345) 623.8824.