New PAHO Virtual Campus Caribbean Node offers English-speaking courses

Panama City, July 17, 2017 (PAHO/WHO) — The Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO / WHO) in collaboration with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Health, the University of the West Indies – St Augustine Campus and the University of Trinidad and Tobago, announces the launch of the VCPH Caribbean Node which offers English-speaking courses that will benefit health practitioners in the Caribbean region.

“At the Virtual Campus we recognize the need to develop English-speaking courses for a larger audience in the Caribbean countries. During experiences working with other countries we noticed the importance to assist and support an autonomous process, always focused on the needs of the region, and to work hand by hand with local institutions” said Gabriel Listovsky, coordinator of the VCPH.

The node launched with three free courses selected based on content, structure and suitability for the Caribbean:

  • Basic Epidemiological Concepts (2017 Version)
    • To provide participants with the skills and knowledge to enhance their understanding of the fundamentals of epidemiology and apply basic epidemiological principles to their work as public health practitioners. 
  • Tobacco and Public Health: From Theory to Practice (2016 Version)
    • To provide participants with insight into the strategies of the tobacco industry as well as information to counteract these strategies and new challenges in the area.
  • Virtual course on properly completing death certificates
    • To provide countries in the region with a virtual course to raise physicians’’ awareness on the appropriate manner to record the cause of death.

Dr. Bernadette Theodore-Gandi, PAHO/WHO representative in Trinidad and Tobago has highlighted, that “the development of innovative courses and approaches for the Caribbean node will not only work towards the benefit of the health needs of the country but also that of the professionals living and working in the English-speaking Caribbean region”.

Having a Caribbean node means the adaptation and development of courses for Caribbean peoples, made by Caribbean people.  The PAHO subregional office has supported this work by training additional English-speaking tutors and facilitating the coordination of the initiative.

Interested public health practitioners are welcome to enrol in any of the courses available by visiting the website: https://caribbean.campusvirtualsp.org/. There are no fees attached.