and opens doors for new healthcare collaboration
The inaugural Breathe 2026: Advancing Respiratory Health conference brought together approximately 120 healthcare professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders for two days of scientific education, discussion, and collaboration on respiratory health. Jointly organized by the Pharmacy Association of Sint Maarten (PAS) and the Windward Islands Medical Association (WIMA), the conference took place on September 19 and 20 at the American University of the Caribbean in Cupecoy and was accredited for 8 CME points.
Approximately 140 participants signed up for Breathe 2026, with around 120 ultimately attending. Participants included nurses, pharmacy assistants, general practitioners, medical specialists, occupational therapists, dentists, policymakers, medical students from the AUC, and other allied healthcare professionals. While the majority came from Sint Maarten, the conference also welcomed participants and speakers from Saba, Grenada, Trinidad, Curaçao, Aruba, the Netherlands and the United States. Breathe 2026 was officially endorsed by the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA). The conference was opened with remarks by Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina and Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor Claret Connor.
From scientific knowledge to local opportunities
PAS and WIMA deliberately brought together expertise from Sint Maarten, the wider Caribbean and the Netherlands to connect international knowledge with local and regional healthcare realities. Presentations covered tuberculosis, RSV, pathogen surveillance, asthma and COPD, sleep apnoea, emergency respiratory care, medication adherence, simulation training and cost-effective healthcare. One theme that generated particular interest was the effect of Saharan dust and air quality on health, presented by Dr. Martin Forde of St. George's University in Grenada. The presentation highlighted both the range of health problems associated with Saharan dust exposure and opportunities to collect environmental data locally.
The discussions have already opened possibilities for further collaboration. Connections were made between CARPHA (represented by Dr. SueMin Nathaniel) and SMMC research teams working on RSV. At the same time, SMMC's presentation of its new SimSuite (presented by Dr Jumoke Vreden) generated interest in further collaboration with WIMA and WIEMS. Discussions with the University Medical Center Groningen also opened the possibility of research examining pharmacy demand for inhaled medication in relation to Saharan dust exposure.
Another important discussion centred on value-based healthcare and the role of primary care. Dr. Job van Boven of the University Medical Center Groningen addressed medication adherence, cost-effective respiratory care, and whether sufficient resources are directed toward interventions at the level of family physicians and pharmacies that may help prevent patients from requiring hospital care. Nitza Hooi, a community pharmacist from Curaçao and PhD researcher, emphasized the role pharmacists can play as a bridge between patients and physicians. Her presentation also highlighted the potential of a multidisciplinary approach in which pharmacists, family physicians and nurse practitioners work together to strengthen patient care.
Throughout the weekend, presenters frequently referred back to the work and expertise shared by earlier speakers, something the organizers saw as an encouraging reflection of the mutual respect and multidisciplinary approach Breathe 2026 was intended to foster.
Taking respiratory health into the community
Breathe 2026 began on Friday, September 18, with “Better Breathing • Healthier Lives,” a Public Health Evening co-hosted with Rotary St. Maarten and attended by approximately 30 members of the public. Sessions focused on RSV, access to healthcare through SZV, and sleep apnoea. The discussions highlighted the need for greater community awareness of RSV and provided participants with information about healthcare coverage and access. The sleep apnoea session also encouraged attendees to view persistent snoring as something worth discussing with their family physician rather than simply as an inconvenience.
“We are very proud to have been allowed to present Breathe 2026 to the public and healthcare professionals of Sint Maarten. Advancing the quality of Sint Maarten’s healthcare system requires collaboration. We are grateful to WIMA for joining us in organizing this conference, and to SZV for both supporting Breathe 2026 and collaborating with us on the Public Health Evening,” PAS leadership said.
Breathe creates a platform for what comes next
For PAS and WIMA, the response to their first jointly organized conference exceeded expectations in both turnout and interaction throughout the weekend. Importantly, the learning and collaboration generated by Breathe 2026 will continue beyond the conference. In November, PAS and WIMA will organize a multidisciplinary education program for family physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, and pharmacy assistants focused on helping patients use their inhaled medications correctly. Proper inhalation technique is an important part of ensuring that patients receive the intended benefit from their respiratory medication.
Several other topics raised during Breathe 2026 are expected to continue through Sint Maarten's FTO (pharmacotherapeutic consultation), while PAS and WIMA will explore the research and collaborative opportunities that emerged during the conference. A follow-up Public Health Evening with Rotary is also being considered for November.
The organizers are particularly grateful to the speakers for their commitment to bringing relevant scientific and clinical knowledge to Sint Maarten. They also recognize the contribution of the event's emcees, whose work helped keep the three-day program running smoothly – Dr. Soc on Friday, and Dionne Williams and Tanya Balani on Saturday and Sunday. PAS and WIMA believe other important health themes deserve the same multidisciplinary attention. Following the success of their first jointly organized conference, they plan further collaborative conferences.
Breathe 2026 was made possible through the support of AUC, Orange Pharma, Pharmastore, Windward Islands Bank, WINAIR, SZV, NAGICO, Sint Maarten Medical Center, Health Care Laboratory, Pineapple Pete, Karakol N.V. and Vivasigns.
PAS and WIMA gratefully acknowledge all sponsors, institutional partners, speakers, volunteers, and participants whose contributions made the inaugural Breathe 2026 possible. Media contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
