Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

ST. LUCIA LEADS CARIBBEAN COLLEGE OF PAEDIATRICS in 1^ST FORMAL MEETING – MAY 14^TH 2010

Contacts: Meeting organizer: Dr. Michele Lashley

                                                   Dr. Jacqueline Bird

The Caribbean College of Paediatricians, launched on March 2^nd, 2007 and headed by St. Lucia-based Paediatrician, Dr. Jacqueline Bird, will formally meet members and well-wishers at its 1^st face-to-face meeting on May 14^th 2010.

The meeting is being hosted within the 67th annual Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) Continuing Medical Education Conference at UWI, Cave Hill, Barbados and will feature regional updates in Child Health care from CAREC; International Hospital for Children’s Eastern Caribbean initiative; Maternal & Child Health Inter-Caribbean Partnership (MCHIP) spearheaded by the Perinatal Network of Martinique; International League against Epilepsy (ILAE) Caribbean initative. This will be  followed by the opening ceremony of the CME conference with a  welcome addresses from Dr Carlos Chase, President, BAMP; Professor Henry Fraser, Dean, Faculty of Medical Sciences, UWI, Cave Hilland Dr Jacqueline Bird, President, CCP; and a guest lecture:YOUTH VIOLENCE – A HEALTH PROBLEM  by Dr Stephen King, Former St. Lucia Chief Medical Officer and Director of RISE (St. Lucia) Inc. Youth Advocacy NGO.

The 1^st CCP organizing Executive (2007-2010) has included:

President – Dr. Jacqueline Bird – St. Lucia

Vice-president – Dr. Minerva Thame – Jamaica

Secretary – Dr. Vanessa Stewart – Trinidad & Tobago

Treasurer – Dr. Corrine Sinquee-Brown-  Bahamas

Education/Accreditation Coordinator – Dr. Matthias Antoine – Jamaica

Advisor – Dr. Abigail Harrison – Jamaica

Regional Reps: Barbados Dr. Michele Lashley

                         Cayman Islands Dr. Cecily Abraham

                         Jamaica Dr. Leslie Gabay

                         Leeward Islands Dr. Ian Jacobs (St. Kitts & Nevis)

                         Windward Islands  Dr. Rosemary Boyle (St. Vincent & Grenadines)

                        Trinidad & Tobago (Dr. Rose Marie Thomas)

                        French W.I. Dr. Serge Chalons (Martinique)

Extra-Regional Links:

USA – Dr. Dave Clarke, Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, Austin, TX

Canada – Dr. Melanie-Ann Kirby-Allen, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto

UK – Dr. Joanne Fedee, New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton, UK

The CCP aims to attract membership from all Caribbean Child Health professionals including those nationals who are currently working overseas, those have always done so, as well as other health professionals who have made outstanding contributions to the health and welfare of Caribbean children who will be recommended for honorary membership of the CCP.

Its aims and objectives include:

• Advocacy in matters pertaining to the health and welfare of children in the Caribbean, and to act as a resource for member governments and for Caricom
• Implementation of the highest possible standards of health care for Caribbean children
• Liaison with regional medical councils and teaching institutions to ensure maintenance of paediatric competence and standards and in the future accreditation of Paediatricians trained and/or practicing in the Caribbean
• Strengthening of linkages between Paediatricians practicing in the region for the sharing and exchange of skills and resources; to support colleagues practicing in lesser developed areas; and to provide a unified body for advocacy issues
• Improvement of Continuing Professional Development opportunities, in particular for members practicing in non-campus territories.