Each year, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) hosts a conference to highlight medical research activities in the Caribbean region. Our island of Saint Kitts hosted this year’s conference at the St. Kitts Marriott, which provided the UMHS medical students and faculty an opportunity to actively participate. Over the course of three days, UMHS students volunteered at the conference to assist with registration, audio-visual needs, verification of attendee badges, and poster sessions.
CARPHA ANNUAL HEALTH RESEARCH PROJECT: (left to right) Rayshell Morales, Dr. Jane Harrington, Karla Martinez, Yanelle I. Asencio. Photo: Dr. Harrington
As part of the UMHS Medical Research Elective, student Paolo Rodriguez and Dr. Jane Harrington have been working the St. Kitts Ministry of Health to develop a digital public health database. They have been gathering data to assess risk factors for non-communicable diseases at the numerous community health fairs, hosted by student organizations such as AMSA (American Medical Students Association). To comprehensively process the data collected, Dr. Harrington attended the Epi Info™ 7 Data Analysis Workshop prior to the conference to utilize the data analysis program utilized by the CDC. The findings from the project were displayed as a poster presentation, “Development of a Digital Public Health Database to Assess Risk Factors of Diabetes in the Federation of St. Kitts”. The abstract has been published in a supplemental edition of the West Indian Medical Journal.
Retired former UMHS professor Dr. James Gordon Avery with Dr. C. James Hospedales, Executive Director of CARPHA. Photo: Dr. Harrington
Retired UMHS Professor Dr. James Gordon Avery additionally contributed to the CARPHA conference to promote his mission to develop multi-national cancer registry, diagnosis and treatment coordination. He attended the pre-conference workshop “Building Multi-Sectoral Partnerships for Translational Cancer Prevention and Control Research in the Caribbean” and gave an oral presentation “Cancer Care in Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis."
Dr. Avery—who was often interviewed by the UMHS Endeavour about his important research when he worked for UMHS—has been a regular conference attendee and was recognized with a certificate of appreciation at the Closing Ceremony for his dedicated support of CARPHA.
Dr. Jane Harrington at the CARPHA Conference. Photo: Dr. Harrington
The CARPHA conference was considered a great success to bring together health care providers, public health policy makers, and academic researchers from many Caribbean islands. UMHS community members are looking forward to attending and presenting at next year’s conference.
The following volunteers attended the conference:
Karla Martinez
Rayshell Morales
Yanelle I. Asencio
Amanda Alvelo
Thomas Kosick
Florence Adeyemo
Mohammed Iqbal
Nathalia Millan
Nina Madjer
Geovanny Ruiz
Ernesto Quiñone
Amanda Diaz Mendez
Alexa Datko
Ardelle Estoesta
Eboni Peoples
Zonelle Harris
Vincent Tran
Fatima Issa
Adithi Srinivasiah
Jeannie Autry
Nicole Winkelmann
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