The Caribbean Public Well being Company (CARPHA) is collaborating with the Ministry of Well being and Wellness (MoHW), Jamaica, to strengthen most cancers surveillance and most cancers management.
CARPHA, and Important Methods a world well being organisation signed a Subgrant Settlement to offer funding help for the challenge: ‘Utilizing DHIS2 to Strengthen Most cancers Registration Information Techniques in Low-resourced International locations: From Rwanda to Jamaica’. This challenge is funded by Important Methods’ World Grants Program, by the Bloomberg Philanthropies Information for Well being Initiative.
The launch of the challenge came about on October 24, 2023 on the Jamaica Pegasus Lodge, in Kingston, Jamaica. Nonetheless, the challenge actions started as early as September 1, 2023. Actions included a coaching workshop to strengthen the capability of the MOHW Jamaica Non-Communicable Ailments (NCDs) surveillance workforce to determine, accumulate and code knowledge on cancer-based really useful requirements. Twenty-nine individuals representing the 4 regional well being authorities (RHAs) and 4 individuals from the MoHW, Jamaica, participated within the coaching. Contributors included epidemiologists, NCD coordinators, nursing supervisors, data and communication know-how officers, well being information directors and knowledge entry clerks.
Jamaica, considered one of CARPHA’s Member States, is the primary Caribbean nation; and second on this planet to pilot the District Well being Data System 2 (DHIS2) Oncology module, which was initially developed and applied by the Rwanda Nationwide Most cancers Registry.
Below this settlement valued at US$100,000, the challenge will enhance most cancers management by operationalising a knowledge assortment and reporting system that can enhance the provision of nationwide most cancers knowledge, which can be utilized by the Ministry of Well being and Wellness Jamaica to information most cancers prevention and management methods. Funding help can also be being supplied by the MoHW, Jamaica.
The launch of the challenge kicked off with welcome remarks from Dr. Simone Spence, Director, Well being Promotion and Safety, Ministry of Well being and Wellness, Jamaica. “Most cancers registration is important to informing well being promotion efforts and the MoHW seems forward with nice anticipation on the profound impression of the DHIS 2 Oncology module in bettering most cancers registration in Jamaica.”
Dr. Christopher Tufton, Minister of Well being and Wellness delivered the keynote tackle. “The present most cancers burden in Jamaica, as elsewhere within the Caribbean, is gorgeous and requires our collective and pressing consideration, starting with our consideration to knowledge. Registries are very important. The actual fact is that there’s a prevailing want for native knowledge to information response, coverage growth and programme monitoring and analysis to realize complete most cancers prevention and management. The challenge is to enhance most cancers management by operationalising a knowledge assortment and reporting system that can enhance the provision of nationwide most cancers knowledge, which can be utilized by the Ministry to information most cancers prevention and management methods regionally.”
Additionally talking on the launch, CARPHA Government Director, Dr. Pleasure St. John acknowledged, “Surveillance methods are important instruments aimed toward bettering the early detection of illnesses, however most cancers registration is totally different. We accumulate, retailer, and analyse knowledge for people who find themselves already troubled with this illness. Entry to population-wide data on most cancers incidence is important for understanding most cancers burden; planning and monitoring of nationwide most cancers prevention and management programmes; and defining priorities in most cancers prevention, remedy, and care. As we broaden and strategically improve the institution of different registries within the area, we hope that this module could be recognized as a instrument to help the event of the sub-regional most cancers registry for the OECS.”
Dr. Magdalena Paczkowski, Director of the Important Methods’ Most cancers Registry Program, funded by the Bloomberg Philanthropies Information for Well being Initiative: “Our actions have targeted on strengthening human sources and infrastructure to help most cancers knowledge assortment, technical help to tell normal working procedures and strategic planning, in addition to coaching on most cancers registry rules and strategies, together with utilizing CanReg5. This included the brand new DHIS 2 Oncology Module, created by working with IARC, the Rwanda Biomedical Middle and the Rwanda Nationwide Most cancers Registry, and CARPHA, alongside different companions. This work will now be strengthened by GPP’s help to implement this new module in Jamaica.”
Head of Persistent Illness and Damage at CARPHA, Dr. Heather Armstrong supplied a challenge overview. “The challenge will set up, customise, and check an oncology module utilizing a well being data administration platform known as DHIS2 to allow population-wide reporting on most cancers burden by the Nationwide Most cancers Registry of Jamaica. Extra areas of collaboration embody capability constructing and coaching in the usage of the module; strengthened IT infrastructure; and piloting the module.”
The challenge grant will run till December 2024.
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