The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

 

ABOUT THE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO VIRTUAL HEALTH LIBRARY

The Virtual Health Library (VHL) is a collection or network of health information sources in the Latin American and Caribbean Region, universally accessible on the Internet and compatible with international databases. It is envisioned as a broad base of scientific and technical knowledge in health, entered, organized and stored in electronic format in each country of the Region. The information sources are generated, updated, stored and manipulated on the Internet by the producers, integrators and intermediaries in a decentralized manner using common methodologies for their integration into the VHL.

The objectives for the development of VHL are:

  • To promote the universal and equitable access to health, scientific and technical information
  • To be a space for cooperation among countries in order to strengthen their capacity to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the new technologies of information and communication to promote equity and health
  • To facilitate the management of essential technologies for achieving equitable access to health information
  • To facilitate all citizens access to health information and knowledge necessary for their individual and collective health

The National VHL Initiative for Trinidad and Tobago

The National Initiative is sanctioned by the Ministry of Health, and is supported by the PAHO/Center for Health Information Sciences (BIREME) in Brazil, in collaboration with major stakeholders, the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) and the Medical Sciences Library of The University of the West Indies at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.

Agreement has been reached among health information professionals in Trinidad and Tobago to adopt and implement the VHL and for participating institutions to collaborate and accept responsibility for undertaking specific sub-project areas in order to ensure success. Of particular interest in the development of the National VHL for Trinidad and Tobago, is the opportunity to encourage the collection and dissemination of local research in health, to utilize the potential for distance education in health, to increase information support to researchers, and to support public health information.

The Virtual Health Library National Advisory Committee

Trinidad and Tobago has taken a positive step towards the establishment of its Virtual Health Library. Cabinet approved the appointment of a Virtual Health Library National Advisory Committee in March 2005. This follows the work of an interim committee which had been established in 2000 at the conclusion of a Stakeholders’ meeting which was held at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex. The Chairperson of the Committee is the Head of the UWI Medical Sciences Library, who has been charged by Cabinet with the responsibility to lead the Committee for achievement of the agreed objectives and targets. The work of the National Advisory Committee is underpinned by working groups for both content and technical matters. The working groups consist of staff members from the core collaborating institutions.

Overall Objectives
The overall objective of the National Advisory Committee for the Virtual Health Library is to oversee virtual health library functions. The Committee is responsible for the:

  • Development of a national plan for the establishment of the Virtual Health Library
  • Definition and approval of projects
  • Definition and approval of the content of the Virtual Health Library
  • Identification and approval of training requirements
  • Promotion of involvement in consortia in order to facilitate electronic access to documents
  • Evaluation of the performance of the Virtual Health Library
  • Conduct of promotional activities for the Virtual Health Library
  • Organisation of periodic meetings of the Committee with stakeholders

Membership includes representatives from the following:

  • Ministry of Health
  • College of Sciences Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago
  • Medical Sciences Library / Faculty of Medical Sciences The University of the West Indies
  • Caribbean Epidemiology Centre
  • Medical Library, Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
  • National Library and Information System Authority – NALIS
  • Regional Health Authorities
  • Tobago House of Assembly
  • Ministry of Public Administration and Information
  • PAHO/WHO Trinidad and Tobago
  • Ministry of Local Government
Additional members of the Advisory Committee may be co-opted from the stakeholder community as deemed necessary.

Committee appointed by Cabinet
Persons appointed to the National Virtual Health Library Advisory Committee with effect from March 2005:


Mrs. Ernesta Greenidge, Head - Medical Sciences Library
(Chairperson)
 -UWI Medical Sciences Library
Mr. Reynold Cooper, Permanent Secretary
 -Ministry of Health
Mrs. Victoria Cruickshank-Taylor, Senior Library Assistant
 -CAREC
Ms. Pearl Charles, Regional Nursing Officer
-NWRHA
Mr. Keith Beharry, Community Services
 -ERHA
Dr. Kanterpersad Ramcharan, Head - Department of Medicine
 -SWRHA
Dr. Lester Goetz, Urologist (alternate)
 -SWRHA
Mr. Kwesi Prescod, Telecommunications Adviser -Ministry of Public Administration and Information
Mr. Recarb Ali, Ag. Planning Officer II
-Ministry of Local Government
Ms. Judy Whilby, Director - Library Services
-COSTATT
Ms. Carol Yates, Library Consultant - Health Care Information Resources Centre
 -TRHA
Ms. Joan Hannibal Phillip, Ag. Administrator
-Tobago House of Assembly
Mrs. Patricia Zephyrine, Executive Director
 -NALIS
Dr. Lilian Reneau-Vernon, Country Representative
 -PAHO/WHO
 
Also currently serving on the Committee are:
Mrs. Irmie Sandy-Dublin, Medical Librarian
-Port of Spain General Hospital
Mrs. Rosemary Gonzales, Service Manager
-NWRHA
Ms. Patrice Forte, Ag. Manager, Medical Records
-NCRHA

2005 STATUS REPORT
http://bvs4.icml9.org/gt/bvsNacionales/public/documents/informe_tt-154436.doc