Overview

The Caribbean consists of 13 island nations ranging from the Bahamas to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago . The countries of Guyana and Suriname, located on the northern coast of South America, are also part of the Caribbean . A majority of the countries have an African ethnic and a British colonial history.

English, Spanish, French, and Dutch are the languages used throughout the Caribbean. In terms of English as the primary language, the largest in land area is Guyana (about the size of the State of Idaho ), and Jamaica (about the size of the State of Connecticut ) has the largest population. 14 of the region's independent nations belong to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Six East Caribbean nations are also members of the Organization of East Caribbean States (OECS).

Islands of the Caribbean region were among the top 100 best health care systems in 2002 World Health Report.

All studies require a Ministry of Health approval in addition to Ethics Committee approval. On average, meetings are conducted once every 4 – 6 weeks.