GREAT BAY--Healthcare professionals from St. Maarten, across the Caribbean and abroad will gather September 19 and 20 for Breathe 2026: Advancing Respiratory Health, a multidisciplinary conference focused on improving respiratory care through education, collaboration and the exchange of medical knowledge. The conference is accredited for eight Continuing Medical Education (CME) points.
Organized by the Pharmacy Association of St. Maarten (PAS) and the Windward Islands Medical Association (WIMA), the conference will bring together physicians, pharmacists, nurses and other healthcare professionals for a day-and-a-half program featuring local, regional and international speakers.
The program will address a wide range of respiratory health concerns, including tuberculosis and regional pathogen surveillance, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) prevention, asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), sleep apnea and acute respiratory emergencies.
Participants will also examine the growing effects of Saharan dust, air quality and climate change on respiratory illnesses, issues that have become increasingly relevant across the Caribbean. Sessions will go beyond diagnosis and treatment to examine how healthcare providers can improve the delivery of care.
Topics will include medication adherence, patient education, cost-effective treatment options, closer collaboration between pharmacists and physicians, and the use of simulation-based training to strengthen the response of healthcare professionals.
According to the organizers, Breathe 2026 is intended to strengthen cooperation across healthcare disciplines while turning current medical knowledge, regional experience and international expertise into practical improvements in patient care.
The conference will be held at the American University of the Caribbean in Cupecoy and is open to healthcare professionals from St. Maarten, the Dutch Caribbean and the wider region. Registration remains open, with the full program, speaker information and registration details available through the conference website.
Breathe 2026 is being supported by Orange Pharma, Pharmastore, Windward Islands Bank, WINAIR, SZV, NAGICO, St. Maarten Medical Center, Health Care Laboratory, Pineapple Pete and Karakol N.V. PAS and WIMA said the support of the sponsors and partners contributes to continuing professional education within the healthcare community.
The conference website is breathe2026conference.netlify.app and the media contact iseducation@passxm.com.
