Tag: Caribbean

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Get The Message! Support HCC’s mission on CNCDs

Healthy Caribbean Coalition want people to “Get The Message” and help combat the rise on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases across the region. Using social media and text messaging, the campaign aims to get  Caribbean citizens to contact their Heads of Government and encourage them to attend the upcoming UN High Level meeting on chronic diseases.

Participants can join the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.

This is an important fight for our region. In many countries CNCD are among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity.

More on the Coalition’s mission can be found at: http://www.healthycaribbean.org/hcc/index.html

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Dominica should use Waitukubuli Nature Trail to promote active lifestyle

With the completion Dominica’s Waitukubuli Nature Trail near, this presents a great opportunity for the island to promote an active lifestyle to its citizens and to others around the Caribbean. While projects such as these are often use to promote tourism, we should never forget that with the rising costs associated with non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heat disease and stroke, we also have a mandate to promote healthy behaviors and healthy lifestyles.

So, alongside the marketing campaigns across countries such as the United States and Europe to attract those interested in super hikes, I would like to see the government also support a local health promotion and/or social marketing to educate citizens on the benefits of such a trail to their everyday lives.

In the past few weeks, two sets of teams – a Welch couple and a group of Dominicans – have completed the 14-segment trail. Their stories are reported here and here, respectively.

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CARICOM salutes achievements of women in the Region

CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has joined the international community in saluting the achievements of women in the Region, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, being observed today, March 8, 2011.

“We salute the sterling actions and contributions of the many women who laid strong foundations for the principles of equality and justice in our societies and to the overall development of our Region in all spheres of life,” Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite, CARICOM Acting Secretary-General said in a message to mark the occasion.

“The personal histories of these trailblazers are a source of inspiration, especially to young girls as they define their paths to success that best fit their values and aspirations,” the message states.

This year’s celebration of women is focussing on access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology, including the promotion of women’s access to full employment and decent work.

In her message, Ambassador Applewhaite said International Women’s Day was also an opportunity to “reflect on the gaps to be addressed in order to achieve a deeper and more meaningful sense of social justice, equal rights and dignity for all.”

In this context, she noted the continued efforts for the cause of gender equality by the CARICOM Advocate for Gender Justice, Dr. Rosina Wiltshire.

Given the need to address gender stereotypes which continued to permeate societies, Ambassador Applewhaite said the Region and the international community had responded through mechanisms like the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in safeguarding equality of opportunity in education in areas such as science, technology and innovation.

“The continued implementation of these frameworks will contribute to developing competencies required for the emerging workforce.”

“We must nevertheless remain vigilant in ensuring that our human resource development efforts provide equal access to training and decent work for girls and women,” Ambassador Applewhaite said.

In this centennial year of the observance of International Women’s Day, she said that CARICOM Heads of Government will bestow the Tenth CARICOM Triennial Award on an outstanding CARICOM woman whose work has made a significant contribution to the socio-economic development of the Region. To date, CARICOM has bestowed the award on nine women.

Ambassador Applewhaite said that the Community was looking forward to welcoming the next recipient to this League.

via CARICOM salutes achievements of women in the Region.

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UVI researchers to discuss public health challenges associated with climate change on WTJX

Courtesy: http://myhealthwhatsclimategottodowithit.com/

Part if my life’s mission is to strengthen the research component at the University of the Virgin Islands, my alma mater, so, I am always excited when I see updates on what professors and investigators are doing in improve the public’s health. About two years ago, the university received a NIMHD grant to study the links between climate change and public health challenges and to increase public awareness of said challenges. Through this effort, the lead researchers at UVI, Drs. LaVern Ragster and Gloria Callwood will, present a program “Climate & Health: New Challenges for the Virgin Islands” on Sunday, March 6 on WTJX.

Part of the project objective is to reduce health disparities in the Virgin Islands. According to the website:

“With a population that is 76 percent African American/African Caribbean and 14 percent Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, the Virgin Islands is recognized as an area with a “vulnerable population”, in which numerous health disparities exist. The project specifically aims to: (1) Research and develop information supporting communications and strategies to address links between climate change and increasing public health challenges, specifically dengue fever and ciguatera (fish poisoning), and (2) Develop an effective educational outreach program focused on the prevention and mitigation of health problems associated with dengue and ciguatera.

I hope anyone living within viewing range of WTJX will tune in to hear what the researchers have to say, encourage more pubic health research in the Virgin Islands and share their thoughts on best practices for communication health and climate information to the public.

To learn more about the project, visit their website at http://myhealthwhatsclimategottodowithit.com/

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Tuesday Deadline Caribbean HIV Conference Abstracts

Abstracts for the 2011 Caribbean HIV Conference are coming dues Tuesday, February 15th. This years’ theme is Strengthening Evidence to Achieve Sustainable Action. The conference takes place from November 11-21 in The Bahamas.

According to the website, the conference is expected to attract 2,000–2,500 participants and will highlight scientific research findings, implementation lessons learned, skills-building tools, and networking opportunities.

There are five conference tracks within which participants can locate their research: Special Populations, Legal, Ethical, Cultural, Spiritual, and Leadership Issues, Epidemiology, Basic Science and Vaccine Research,  Treatment, Care, and Support, Prevention: Social, Behavioral, and Biomedical Change.

Full information on the conference and each track can be found on their website https://www.2011caribbeanhivconference.org