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JAMAICA: National Cancer Registry Launched

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#Kingston, December 12, 2018 – Jamaica – Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says the National Cancer Registry (NCR) provides a critical tool in guiding the planning and implementation of cancer prevention and control programmes.  He noted that the population-based cancer registry, which covers the entire island, will actively collect information on all new cancer cases, including data on patient demographics and cancer type.

It will help to identify areas for research and to better understand risk factors and causes of cancer in Jamaica.

“(This will help) to describe the burden and distribution of cancer as well as to monitor the impact of cancer prevention and control activities, including screening and early detection,” Dr. Tufton said.

He was speaking at the launch of the registry at the Eden Gardens Wellness Resort and Spa in St. Andrew on December 11.

The NCR, which is to be available to the country’s four health regions, will store information such as the type of tumour, its location, the stage of the cancer and treatment as well as other essentials.

It forms part of a Caribbean and global initiative by the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the Caribbean Public Health Agency to improve the availability of high-quality cancer data to guide decision-making to improve prevention, control and treatment of cancer.

Dr. Tufton said that the registry is in sync with the Ministry’s strategic priority, aimed at improving the quality of health information systems for the planning and management of health services.   He advised of plans in the upcoming year for an information system “which we have made significant advances on over the past year and a half”.

“We have a plan, we now have the resources and we will be rolling out an appropriate pilot, which we believe will aid, support and complement an initiative such as this one (the registry). For us, quality and accurate information is critical for effective decision-making, and when it comes to non-communicable diseases such as cancers, it is absolutely vital,” he said.

The Minister expressed gratitude to several entities, such as the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the Barbados Cancer Registry and the Caribbean Cancer Registry Hub for their partnership in providing technical support, equipment and capacity building.

Meanwhile, Advisor on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health at the PAHO/WHO, Dr. Michelle Harris, emphasised the importance of the registry, arguing that it is essential to the monitoring and evaluation of specific cancer control measures aimed at reducing the burden and suffering from the disease.

“Cancer registries provide a unique source of such information on the scale, profile and evolution of the local cancer burden. Jamaica has had a subnational cancer registry based at the University of the West Indies since 1958. PAHO is pleased to have supported the Ministry of Health in its effort to establish this national population-based cancer registry,” she said.

PAHO’s support, she added, included a cancer registry consultant, who travelled to the island last December to train and work with regional cancer registry teams to help to operationalise the NCR’s software.

For her part, Executive Director of the Jamaica Cancer Society, Yulit Gordon, described the registry as a “significant milestone” in Jamaica’s cancer prevention and control efforts and will equip the country with evidence-based information on all Jamaicans diagnosed with cancer.

“This data will enable us to develop key strategies to improve quality of care, reduce the number of premature deaths to the disease and the overall impact and burden that a cancer diagnosis places on our Jamaican families,” she said.

 

 

Release: JIS

Contact: Chad Bryan

 

Photo Captions:

Header: Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, displays the procedural manual of the National Cancer Registry (NCR) at the launch held at the Eden Gardens Wellness and Spa Resort in St. Andrew on December 11. Sharing the moment is Director of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Injuries Prevention in the Health Ministry, Dr. Tamu Davidson. 

Insert: Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (left), observes a demonstration of the National Cancer Registry (NCR) by Director of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Injuries Prevention in the Health Ministry, Dr. Tamu Davidson. Occasion was the launch of the NCR at Eden Gardens Wellness and Spa Resort in St. Andrew on December 11. Also looking on is Executive Director of the Jamaica Cancer Society, Yulit Gordon.

 

Dave Reid photos

 

 

 

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CARPHA Progresses to Eligibility for the First Disbursement of Pandemic Funding

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Following a landmark Public Signing Ceremony for the Pandemic Fund (PF) Technical Cooperation Agreement (“Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” [RG-T4387] Project) on December 14, 2023, in Trinidad, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to progress towards the start of implementation.

 CARPHA fulfilled the IDB’s nine conditions prior to first disbursement, achieving full eligibility on March 15, 2024, and is now eligible for the first disbursement. This milestone achievement in just 3 months after the signing speaks to the commitment of both CARPHA, the Executing Agency, and IDB, the Implementing Entity, toward the regional PF project with the objective of supporting the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) surveillance & early-warning systems (EWS), laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and in countries.

Since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement and as part of the conditions prior to first disbursement, CARPHA has achieved the following key outputs (i) the development of the PF Project Operations Manual, Multi-annual Execution Plan, Procurement Plan, Financial Plan, Procedure for CARPHA’s Financial Reporting System; (ii) vacancy announcements for two tranches of consultants with the subsequent hiring of five (Technical Coordinator, Financial Specialist, Procurement Specialist, Operations Officer and Project Operations Coordinator) and (iii) the establishment of the Project Execution Unit (PEU) and Project Execution Steering Committee (PESC). The dedicated PEU will be responsible for execution according to its planned timelines, which will be led by the Dr. Lisa Indar, the Project Director (CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division).

 CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean Cooperation in Health is mandated by its Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to support its 26 CARPHA Member States (CMS) in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional response to public health threats. The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks for coordinating its public health response work.

In July 2023, the PF Governing Board announced that CARPHA’s regional entity proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing. It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project. The three priority areas in the proposal are: (i) Comprehensive disease surveillance and EWS, (ii) Laboratory systems and (iii) Human resources and public health and community workforce capacity.

This project is expected to begin implementation in March 2024, starting off with a blended onboarding session. A Stakeholder Meeting with countries is tentatively planned for July 2024.

CARPHA remains dedicated to working together with the IDB, CARPHA Member States and the Pandemic Fund to successfully implement the regional proposal geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.

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Men who had Murdered Man, Marley Higgs’ cell phone face Court

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Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

The prosecution intends to try two young North Caicos men, both age 21 for the offense of possession of property of a murdered man, property that was stolen and landed in their possession.

The phone belonged to Peureton ‘Marley’ Higgs, who is believed to have been an innocent gunned down at his apartment complex in the Glass Shack area in a spray of bullets on February 2 that killed another man and wounded two others, including a ten-year-old little girl.

The cell phone was described as white in colour, an iPhone, in a hard black case. 

On Monday, March 18th, JEFFVANO HANDFIELD of North Caicos pleaded not guilty to the offense, and the matter was adjourned to April 2024. He was granted bail in the matter.

A second North Caicos man was charged similarly.  

SARENO CAPELLAN aka, Kino Williams is the second individual brought before the court pertaining to the said cellphone. He appeared in court a week after JEFFVANO HANDFIELD, the date being Monday March 25th 2024.

The case for the Crown is that both men sometime in February of this year possessed the cellphone knowing or suspecting it to be stolen property.

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Supreme Court Closed for Easter

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NOTICE is hereby given that the Easter Recess shall commence on Friday 29th April, 2024 and end on Friday 5th April, 2024. During the Easter Recess Judge Selochan will be available to deal only with matters that are urgent or require prompt attention.

Court Business During the Easter Recess

A person who wishes to have a matter heard during the recess must file a certificate of urgency along with an affidavit, which must set out the reasons why the matter is urgent or requires prompt attention. The matter will not be listed during the recess unless the Judge deems it fit for urgent hearing.

Opening Hours During the Easter Holiday

The Supreme Court’s last sitting day for the first term is Thursday 28th March, 2024. The Court will officially resume sittings on Monday 8th April, 2024. The Supreme Court Offices in both Grand Turk and Providenciales will continue to operate while the Court is not sitting during the recess.

The Court Office will be closed on the following public holidays:

  • Friday 29th March, 2024 (Good Friday) CLOSED
  • Monday 1st April, 2024 (Easter Monday) CLOSED

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