Once again, The University of the
West Indies (The UWI) is launching a Task Force to assist with the mobilisation
of the region’s public health providers to deal with an incoming virus. Four
years ago, the Zika virus triggered a similar response; today it is COVID-19.
Again,
the Task Force will be chaired by The UWI’s Professor Clive Landis, Pro
Vice-Chancellor for Undergraduate Studies and former Director of the George
Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre, who has considerable experience in the
field of Caribbean public health.
The
University is currently delivering a software engineering degree programme at
its joint Institute in Suzhou, China, and has a large registered cohort of
Caribbean students. It is engaged directly with public health officials in
Suzhou, Caribbean diplomatic corps in Beijing, and the leadership of its
partner university, the Global Institute for Software Engineering (GIST).
Vice-Chancellor
of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles stated, “Against the background of
dealing with its internal affairs in China, The UWI has been working in close
collaboration with regional health ministries and the relevant CARICOM
agencies.” The purpose, he added, is to “Provide the necessary scientific data
on the virus and to work with government colleagues in creating an effective
communications strategy for the region.” He concluded by saying, “The Task
Force will have a critical role to play in solutions-building in the immediate
future.”
Membership of the Task Force is drawn from the regional UWI medical
faculties and external experts experienced in the laboratory and field
deployment of an active scientific approach.
Commenting on the work of the Task Force, Professor Landis stated, “It is right that The UWI should deploy its full expertise as a public academy to help Caribbean communities [cope with this] COVID-19 epidemic. The primary emphasis of the COVID-19 Task Force will be to provide accurate and reliable information through UWItv and other channels of communication.
Armed with good information and strong partnerships, we will get through this viral outbreak as we did for ‘swine flu,’ Chikungunya and Zika before it.”