A Guyanese was among six students from across the Caribbean who last week completed the final element of a two-year inaugural intensive University of the West Indies (UWI) Post-graduate Diploma in Health Policy and Health Systems practicum at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) office in Barbados.
The programme began in September 2022, and is designed to train persons in creating health policy and organizing health systems.
The students were: Vincentian Gillian Little, a registered nurse based in Barbados; Barbadian, Keisha Small-Gittens, a registered pharmacist; Nikisha Hazel, a registered nurse and midwife from St. Kitts and Nevis; Shemeka Williams, a registered pharmacist from Grenada; Vonetta Nurse, a Guyanese nutrition officer who works in Jamaica; and Trinidadian Megueal Julien, a public health consultant, based in Jamaica.
According to PAHO Barbados, Acting Dean of UWI’s Faculty of Medical Sciences, Dr. Nkemcho Ojeh, described the UWI/PAHO collaboration as transformative and crucial.
“We recognize that our public health research addressing health care systems can be further enhanced to be more impactful at the policy and practice levels. Often, we face challenges due to poor policy implementation. Therefore, the practicum exposures in this joint UWI-PAHO programme are crucial in addressing these issues and providing our students with valuable hands-on experience.” Co-coordinator and Lecturer in Public Health & Epidemiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, UWI, Cave Hill Campus, Dr. Heather Harewood and Deputy Principal at the UWI Cave Hill Campus, Dr. Winston Moore, echoed that the training contributes towards building a network of highly trained people across the Caribbean, auguring well for the healthcare system’s future.
The release also noted Dr. Benjamin Puertas reflections on UWI’s dedication and perseverance during the pandemic to ensure its roll-out. “If you look at the coursework before COVID-19, we were talking about health governance, leadership in public health, human resources for health management, health services, medicines and technology, and health financing. It’s like we were already talking in a post-pandemic era, because these are priorities that became even stronger after the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Hazel described the course as a valuable experience and encouraged others to consider the course, noting “the relevance of this programme as it helps to align health professionals with the required skills needed to respond to the ever-evolving healthcare system within the region.” She challenged others to “be resilient and persistent in pursuing knowledge and excellence as a region” to positively shape the future of health.
The PAHO/Barbados press release noted that a trained workforce is essential to advance towards universal health, as clearly set out in the PAHO Workforce 2030 Policy, and the Caribbean Human Resources for Health (HRH) Roadmap. Subregional Programme Director of the PAHO Caribbean Subregional Office, Dean Chambliss said, “The in-person component of the practicum for the first Cohort of the postgraduate programme is fitting squarely into this broad push for improved HRH in the Caribbean. It is a significant milestone in the training of future health leaders by the Caribbean for the Caribbean… It is my hope that we sustain this programme over the years and add several more cohorts to this grouping.” Director of Human Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, Helen Royer added: “Equally strong health policies are required to ensure the effective governance and functioning of these systems, as well as the training and retention of motivated health resources for health (HRH). Therefore, policy development and health systems strengthening go hand in hand.”
Meanwhile, PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries, Dr. Amalia Del Riego, pointed out that from inception, PAHO has been dedicated to improving and protecting the health of the people in the Americas – always working for health equity. “Health policy is the backbone of an effective healthcare system. It shapes how resources are allocated, influences the accessibility and quality of care, and ensures that public health initiatives are aligned with the needs of our populations.” PAHO lent collaborative expertise, to the development of courses in the novel academic programme and facilitated the one-week internship opportunity to afford the students practical experience in the specialised field and to understand the organisation’s role.
