University of the West Indies Regional Epidemiological Centre
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| University of the West Indies Regional Epidemiological Centre | |
|---|---|
| Name | University of the West Indies Regional Epidemiological Centre |
| Type | Research and public health centre |
| Region served | Caribbean |
| Parent organization | University of the West Indies |
University of the West Indies Regional Epidemiological Centre is a regional public health institution affiliated with the University of the West Indies that provides epidemiological surveillance, outbreak response, and technical support across the Caribbean Community and neighbouring territories. The Centre engages with national ministries, international agencies, and academic units to coordinate disease monitoring, applied research, and workforce development related to communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, dengue, Zika virus, and noncommunicable risks linked to Cardiovascular disease and Diabetes mellitus. Its activities intersect with regional bodies including the Pan American Health Organization, the Caribbean Public Health Agency, and multilateral partners like the World Health Organization.
History
The Centre's origins trace to post-colonial public health initiatives and regional integration efforts influenced by leaders associated with the University of the West Indies and policy frameworks from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and the Caribbean Community. Early mandates were shaped by responses to outbreaks such as the Cholera pandemic impacts in the Americas and surveillance demands posed by the HIV/AIDS era, prompting formalization alongside campus units in Mona, Jamaica, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, and Cave Hill, Barbados. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s the Centre expanded after collaborations with the Pan American Health Organization and funding initiatives tied to agencies like the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank to strengthen regional laboratory networks and surveillance systems. The Centre played coordinating roles during the 2009 flu pandemic and the Zika epidemic, aligning with emergency responses led by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.
Organization and Governance
Governance aligns with the University of the West Indies statutes and consultative boards drawing representatives from national ministries of health such as Jamaica Ministry of Health, Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Health, and regulatory entities like the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). Executive leadership typically comprises an appointed regional director and technical leads with joint appointments in academic faculties such as the Tropical Medicine and International Health departments and institutes like the Caribbean Institute for Health Research. Oversight mechanisms include advisory committees constituted with experts from the Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization, CDC, and representatives from intergovernmental bodies including the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.
Functions and Programs
The Centre conducts surveillance programs for vector-borne threats including Dengue fever, Chikungunya virus, and Zika virus, collaborates on vaccine-preventable disease monitoring involving Measles and Rubella, and supports tuberculosis and HIV programmes interacting with initiatives by UNAIDS and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. It operates sentinel surveillance sites, laboratory strengthening initiatives in partnership with reference laboratories such as the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Laboratory, and coordinates outbreak investigations with national public health laboratories and entities like the Pan American Health Organization emergency operations. The Centre also manages data platforms interoperable with regional health information systems promoted by the Caribbean Community and provides policy briefs used by ministers and delegations to forums such as the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States assemblies.
Research and Publications
Research priorities encompass epidemiology of HIV/AIDS, antimicrobial resistance studies linked to Staphylococcus aureus, vector ecology research on Aedes aegypti, and chronic disease surveillance for Cardiovascular disease and Diabetes mellitus. The Centre's outputs appear in peer-reviewed journals and technical reports cited by agencies including the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization, and the Caribbean Public Health Agency. Collaborative grants have been awarded by funders such as the Wellcome Trust, the National Institutes of Health, and the European Commission research programmes, and findings have been presented at conferences like the Caribbean Public Health Conference and the International Epidemiological Association meetings. The Centre maintains working relationships with academic publishers and contributes chapters to compendia used in regional public health curricula.
Training and Capacity Building
Capacity building includes short courses and certificate programmes in field epidemiology modelled after the Field Epidemiology Training Program approach used by the CDC and adapted to Caribbean contexts represented by campuses in Mona, Jamaica and St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. The Centre hosts workshops on laboratory quality management linked to standards from the ISO and mentorship schemes for postgraduate students enrolled in epidemiology and public health degrees at the University of the West Indies faculties of medicine. Training partnerships feature collaborations with the Pan American Health Organization, the Caribbean Public Health Agency, and international academic institutions such as the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the University of Toronto.
Collaborations and Partnerships
Key partners include the Pan American Health Organization, the World Health Organization, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), and donor agencies such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the United States Agency for International Development. Academic collaborations extend to universities including the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the University of Toronto, and regional campuses of the University of the West Indies. Operational links exist with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency for emergency response, with laboratory networks tied to the Caribbean Public Health Agency Laboratory, and with surveillance systems coordinated through the Caribbean Community health mechanisms.