U.S. donates computers for medical surveillance
Belize will soon join in a regional surveillance programme to assist in fighting infectious diseases. The Central Medical Laboratory of the Ministry of Health today received a donation of seven new computers and associated software courtesy of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington, D.C., to facilitate the process. Lieutenant Colonel David Neibuhr signed on behalf of the U.S Army as part of this morning’s presentation to Health Minister Jose Coye.
Jose Coye, Minister of Health
“The National Health Information System for example, gives us a better understanding as to the trend and the pattern of diseases, as it does in trying to determine the behaviour behind these disease; what is driving them. It also assists us tremendously in determining the sub population that at the highest risk. With the lab itself doing the diagnosis, we can better determine the cause of these diseases and we’ll be better able to deploy the resources that we have in the area of curative and also in the area of prevention.”
Lt. Col. David Neibuhr, Rep. Walter Reed Army Institute
“It’s part of a bigger effort in cooperation with CAREC, the Caribbean Epidemiological Centre to expand the public health surveillance efforts throughout the entire region. CAREC officially requested, back in 1997, through the United States Southern Command, a humanitarian assistance programme for assistance in developing the hardware and software for this surveillance system, as well as the training. So that responsibility was turned over to the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, and we’ve been working in this area for over three years now. We’re just about ready to complete the programme.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Why did it take so long?”
Lt. Col. David Neibuhr
“It’s just a matter of going to all the ten countries, scheduling with each individual ministry, embassy, the purchasing of the equipment, the needs were different in each country. Some do the countries needed more training than others did. Some, for example, Belize, was quite familiar with the Microsoft Windows, Office system, they had their own software surveillance system. In other countries, it’s not the same. We actually had to do training on how to turn on the computer, how to use Windows, Microsoft Office et cetera.”
Neibuhr says Belize’s participation is part of an eleven-member Caribbean effort organised by the Walter Reed Research Institute.
