LAMAT 2026 opens with ceremony in Marriott St Kitts 

The Opening Ceremony for the Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) 2026 was hosted on Sunday, February 22, 2026. The mission is conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown, government of St Kitts and Nevis and the St Kitts Ministry of Health. The mission will remain in St Kitts and Nevis for the next two weeks with the help of a 60 member team.

The LAMAT mission includes equipment technicians, audiologists, dentists, dieticians and various medical as well as support specialists. The officials will be working with the doctors and stakeholders across the hospitals and clinics across the country.

The 50 member missions will be working with the care teams and supporting the patient services across the island. This is the third edition of the collaborations between the government and the LAMAT towards health security

The officials have shared that the opening ceremony was hosted at St Kitts Marriott Resort. The event was also attended by several prominent government officials and Ministry of Health Stakeholders, including

Curtis Martin – Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health (Welcome Remarks)

Michael Penny – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Edward Ling-Wen Tao – Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan)

Karin Sullivan – U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy, Bridgetown

Barry Davis – Mission Commander, LAMAT

Dr. Terrence Drew, Prime Minister and Minister of Health

Dr. Jenson Morton – Chairperson, Director of Health Projects & Strategic Initiatives

The Prime Minister of the country was also present at the event and delivered a brief address at the opening ceremony. He applauded the healthcare professionals who have been working in service of the people of the country.

He said that at this point, you may not always see the long term affect of your work, but the lives you touch can create a lasting change. The Prime Minister added that Health is security … health is national security. Small states are strengthened by strong partnerships and trusted friends.

Anthony Morris

Reporter at SKN News | [email protected] |  + postsBio ⮌

Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.