Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR)'s Epidemiology Research Unit (ERU) in collaboration with The UWI Open Campus launched the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Research and Epidemiology in January 2020. Designed with the working health practitioner in mind, this online/blended programme targets persons working in health care (delivery, administration, industry and NGOs), and provides them with the learning flexibility and convenience that is needed, particularly if they are unable to commit to full-time study because of work, distance or other commitments. Strengthening health research capacity in the region through these initiatives will improve the quality of health care delivery and strengthen our ability to conduct multi-island research. Candidates in the Diploma may choose to utilize the credits from this programme, before completion, for other graduate programmes offered by CAIHR such as the MSc in Epidemiology.
The training of CAIHR's core faculty by the Open Campus in online delivery methods, modalities of curriculum development and student assessment has prepared the Centre to make the sudden transition from face to face to online learning with the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is hoped that over time this self-financed programme will be able to support PhD candidates in the Department who can be engaged as teaching assistants / course facilitators.
https://uwi.edu/caihr/media/pg-newdiploma.php
On September 18 and 19, 2020 CAIHR celebrated its 20th year of existence by hosting a special symposium that brought together regional and international experts in nutrition and chronic non-communicable diseases as well as members of the academic community and policy makers. The symposium highlighted the work done by the Tropical Metabolism Research Unit (TMRU) to understand and address severe acute childhood malnutrition and the Units contribution towards eradicating this important cause of early childhood mortality and cognitive deficits in Jamaica. This meeting also provided an opportunity to examine new health challenges that need to be urgently addressed in the region.
A celebratory reception hosted by Professor Dale Webber, CD, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Mona Campus, allowed CAIHR to honour the Jamaica Ministry of Health and Wellness—one of its key partners, Professor Emeritus David Picou, the first non-UK Director of the TMRU and Nurse June Harris for over 20 years of outstanding service to the Sickle Cell Unit (SCU).
Another highlight of the symposium was the “Reflections on Innovation: The TMRU Story”. At this event, hosted by The UWI Museum, previous Directors and Members of the TMRU shared memories of their time and work at The UWI (https://uwimuseum.wordpress.com/2019/09/17/reflections-on-innovations-the-tmru-story/). The event which was also streamed live on Facebook, is available at the link https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=957051731295074&ref=watch_permalink.
Former members of the TMRU assisted in the curation of documents, photographs and scientific equipment from the TMRU – a legacy project that is currently underway.
The UK Wellcome Trust awarded Travel Bursaries to five young career researchers across the region to attend the symposium. The Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Graduate Studies and Research sponsored two Faculty Members from the Cave Hill and St. Augustine Campuses.
https://uwi.edu/caihr/media/pg-caihrat20impact.php
The Reach Up programme developed by the Child Development Research Group at CAIHR has been implemented in 16 countries across the world. In November 2019 a Knowledge Exchange Meeting was held in Jamaica, funded by the LEGO Foundation. Thirty-one participants from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, Guatemala, India, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Peru, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and Zimbabwe, as well as representatives from the LEGO Foundation, the World Bank Group, Child Fund and the Inter-American Development Bank, came together to share lessons and establish a Reach Up Community to support continued expansion.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the suspension of programmes that involved home visiting or parent groups the Child Development Research Group developed a Parent Manual “Activities we can do at home with baby” to be shared with parents to support playful interactions with children 0-36 months. Produced in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank, the manual is available at www.reachupandlearn.com and in Spanish on the IDB's website. The manual also provides content for delivery by various communication media including radio, phone calls, SMS and social media. Launched in May 2020, it has been used by several countries including Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico and Panama, and by the International Rescue Committee in Jordan and Bangladesh for Syrian and Rohingya refugee populations. In Jamaica, it is being used in the MOHW Early Stimulation Programme as part of a remote delivery package together with phone calls from community health aides and text messages.
Patients with Sickle Cell Disease may be more vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19 infection. The ability to access regular, consistent care in a safe environment is particularly critical during the pandemic. The Sickle Cell Unit (SCU) was able to adapt its clinic visit protocols and has continued to provide care to their patients during this critical period. The members of the SCU (including clinical, administrative and other support staff) collaborated to institute a strict COVID-19 protocol for clinic visits, introduced a system of telephone consultations/virtual visits and made physical changes to the clinic to shield their vulnerable patients while maintaining access to care. As a result of these initiatives, the clinic remained open to see patients – even during the early lockdown period and has recorded almost 9,000 patient visits in the last year. To date there have been no cases of COVID-19 linked to persons receiving care from the Unit.
The University of the West Indies was asked by the Barbados Ministry of Health and Wellness to provide evidence to assist with the planning of a government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of CAIHR's George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre and the Cave Hill Faculty of Medical Sciences responded to the call by creating a surveillance system that was able to provide evidence-based support not only to the Barbados government, but to the wider CARICOM region.
The GA-CDRC, with a strong track record in surveillance of chronic non-communicable disease (NCD) incidence, prevalence, and risk factors has been able to utilize these skills during the pandemic. A range of daily surveillance outputs produced by the group is now available online for download: https://tinyurl.com/uwi-covid19-surveillance.
https://uwi.edu/caihr/engagement/pg-gacdrcstaff.php
The Irie Classroom Toolbox is an early childhood, teacher-training, violence prevention programme that aims to: reduce harsh punishment by teachers, and prevent the development of early antisocial behaviour in young children. The Irie Classroom Toolbox, developed by researchers from CAIHR, has been rigorously evaluated and with support from UNICEF, Jamaica, this evidence-based programme is now being implemented nationally across Jamaica by the Early Childhood Commission (ECC).
Using a training-of-trainers model, the Irie Toolbox Team from CAIHR trained and supported the senior regional ECC officers to train all ECC field officers within their educational region in the Irie Classroom Toolbox programme. These field officers will in turn train early childhood practitioners during their on-going, in-service teacher-training initiatives. In addition, all teacher resources are available for download from www.irietoolbox.com. In this way, CAIHR staff are working with the ECC to embed evidence-based programming into the existing early childhood educational services across Jamaica.
This has the potential to address important public health issues including reducing violence against children at school and reducing disruptive behaviour problems of young children.
The Irie Toolbox Team have also developed and evaluated a complementary programme for parents (The Irie Homes Toolbox), to promote an integrated approach to violence prevention across home and school settings in the early childhood years.
Professor Emeritus David Picou (Centre) with Dr. Christopher Tufton (Left), Minister of Health and Wellness, Jamaica and Professor Dale Webber Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Mona Campus (right) at the CAIHR at 20 Awards Ceremony.
CAIHR at 20 Honourees - Nurse June Harris (right) for long and dedicated service to the CAIHR-Sickle Cell Unit and Professor Emeritus David Picou (left) – the first West Indian Director of the CAIHR – Tropical Metabolism Research Unit for his contribution to eliminating childhood malnutrition in Jamaica.
Professor Susan Walker and member of the CAIHR Child Development Group with participants in the Reach Up Knowledge Exchange Meeting held November 2019 in Jamaica.
Members of the Child Development Group training Senior Research Officers of the Early Childhood Commission.
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