This hybrid in person and virtual event, which was held in St. Lucia, was hosted by Springer Nature’s The Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities and the Connecticut National Medical Association (CTNMA) in conjunction with the National Medical Association (NMA), St. Lucia Medical and Dental Association, W. Montague Cobb /NMA Health Institute, the University of Connecticut, The Saint Lucia Academy of Science, Technology, and the Arts, and the Government of St. Lucia.

Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin of UConn created and established the World Congress, and served as chair of the event, which brought together more than 100 global health care experts. Dignitaries from Saint Lucia, including the Honourable Philip J. Pierre, Prime Minister of St. Lucia provided keynote remarks. Attendees gained a better understanding of how to address and ultimately eliminate health disparities based on race and ethnicity. The Congress served as a platform for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to share research findings and promote collaborative solutions aimed at improving health equity worldwide.

Racial and ethnic health disparities refer to systematic differences in health outcomes, disease prevalence, and access to healthcare among racial and ethnic groups. These disparities are widely documented in higher rates of chronic illnesses, as well as differences in maternal mortality, life expectancy, and access to preventive care. Addressing these inequities requires policies and interventions that improve healthcare access, reduce social inequalities, and promote health equity across populations. Efforts to better understand and address these issues are highlighted at global gatherings such as the Second World Congress.

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