CaribPR Wire

ST. CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands, Jan. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Prospect Hill Recovery and Wellness Center announces today that they have opened its doors and are accepting clients for treatment of Addictions and Mental Health.

Prospect Hill Recovery and Wellness center is a luxury, boutique residential treatment program. Our program is designed for healing in your recovery journey with compassionate concierge services. Each client is supported and empowered to find their best self within an individualized clinical and wellness program while enjoying the serenity of the beautiful Caribbean. Each guest will enjoy private, high-end accommodations.

A day in the life at Prospect Hill Includes a beautiful blend of individual and group clinical therapies, medical evaluations and assessments, peer support groups, a variety of indoor and outdoor wellness activities, sober outings, and island-centered community exploration. Our team of experts will create a customized recovery and wellness plan, purposeful daily habits, and routines as well as learning more about yourself and the world around you. The journey of one may be completely different from another as each program is custom-tailored to everyone’s unique needs.”

“Our team is thrilled to be opening our campus today. We are excited to share our intimate and innovative program with our arriving clients. Sustainable change is something we are all deeply passionate about. Prospect Hill is truly a unique space to begin healing. “stated  Co-Founders Michael DelGiacco and Dr. Lindsy Waggner, PhD.

Located on the island of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, on a breathtakingly beautiful and quiet three acres, Prospect Hill Recovery and Wellness Center is a private, all-inclusive and integrated care facility with luxury amenities. The owners have transformed a West Indian-inspired estate to this unique luxury residential treatment program. Prospect Hill features seven private guest and bathrooms, an outdoor pool, hot tub, fitness center with Peloton bike, tennis and basketball courts, spa, medical and clinical spaces, and a fully staffed kitchen featuring plant-forward dining. See for yourself through our: Campus Tour — Prospect Hill Recovery & Wellness Center, St. Croix.

Executive Director Kimberley Causey-Gomez, MSW, expressed that, “it is the time of year when many are in need of a fresh re-start “.  If you or a loved one needs treatment, call us at (321) 238-8811 for a consultation today. Our small size of only seven individuals at a time allows our multidisciplinary team to assess and develop a highly personalized treatment plan for each client.”

For more information, please visit the Prospect Hill Recovery and Wellness Center website, www.prospecthillrecovery.com or on our social media pages (Facebook/Instagram).

International accreditation recognizes exceptional standards of quality and patient care. Baptist Health International is proud to have supported ImSan to reach this significant milestone in Aruba

MIAMI, July 21, 2023 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ – Baptist Health International partner in Aruba, Instituto Medico San Nicolas (ImSan), has earned hospital accreditation by the Joint Commission International (JCI). Globally recognized as the gold standard in healthcare quality and patient safety, JCI accreditation signifies ImSan’s commitment to providing exceptional medical care, adhering to rigorous international standards, and continuously striving for excellence. ImSan is the first hospital in Aruba and the Dutch Caribbean, as well as the fourth in the entire Caribbean region, to receive this prestigious recognition.

To obtain the accreditation, ImSan underwent a five-day on-site review in June. A team of JCI reviewers evaluated compliance with hospital standards across various areas, including emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership, medication management, and individual rights and responsibilities. In addition to their own observations and interviews, the reviewers conducted patient tracers, which followed patients through the course of their care while receiving services.

With its multidisciplinary team of medical experts, Baptist Health International, part of Baptist Health South Florida, offered comprehensive advisory services, assessments, training, and readiness support to ImSan in preparation for the JCI survey.

“We extend our warmest congratulations to Dr. Rajnherc and the ImSan team on its remarkable achievement of obtaining Joint Commission International accreditation. Through our long-standing partnership, ImSan has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence in healthcare,” said Rogelio E. Ribas, M.D., corporate vice president of Baptist Health International. “This accreditation is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire ImSan team. We are proud to be part of ImSan’s journey and look forward to continued collaboration in advancing healthcare excellence in Aruba and the Dutch Caribbean region.”

Baptist Health International has had a relationship with ImSan for more than 10 years, providing consulting services and guidance throughout various expansion projects. These include the construction and relocation of the dialysis department; the completion of three operating rooms; the opening of the medical surgery area; the construction and launch of Aruba’s first radiation oncology unit, in collaboration with Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute; and the design and construction of the facility’s new central energy plant. Baptist Health International also facilitated the renovation of ImSan’s Eye Center and Clinic, Emergency and Radiology departments, building lobby and support areas.

“With continuous support and inspiration from our partners at Baptist Heath International, we embarked on our journey to excellence. Striving for excellence in healthcare is like reaching for the stars should you only reach the moon you have already made a giant leap forward,” said Joel Rajnherc, director of ImSan. “Achieving JCI accreditation is the ultimate testimony to the success of that journey.”

This accomplishment reinforces ImSan’s position as a trusted healthcare provider that is dedicated to delivering top-quality services to all its patients and positions the hospital as a leading healthcare institution in the region.

About Baptist Health International
Baptist Health International is one of the largest hospital-based international programs in the United States, with more than 13,000 international patient visits at Baptist Health facilities from the Florida Keys to Palm Beach County. Baptist Health International is dedicated to providing comprehensive, high-quality services for international physicians and their patients, including hospital admissions, outpatient medical exams, medical second opinions and physician consultations, as well as concierge services. For more information, please visit https://baptisthealth.net/international-services.

For more information on Baptist Health International’s collaborations and advisory services, please visit https://baptisthealth.net/international-services/international-healthcare-professionals/international-collaborations or email [email protected]

About Miami Cancer Institute
Miami Cancer Institute brings to South Florida access to personalized clinical treatments and comprehensive support services delivered with unparalleled compassion. No other cancer program in the region has the combination of cancer-fighting expertise and advanced technology — including the first proton therapy center in South Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean, and one of the only radiation oncology programs in the world with each of the newest radiation therapies in one place — to diagnose and deliver precise cancer treatments that achieve the best outcomes and improve the lives of cancer patients. The Institute offers an impressive roster of established community oncologists and renowned experts, clinical researchers and genomic scientists recruited from the nation’s top cancer centers. Selected as Florida’s only member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer (MSK) Alliance, Miami Cancer Institute is part of a meaningful clinical collaboration that affords patients in South Florida access to innovative treatments and ensures that the standards of care developed by their multidisciplinary disease management teams match those at MSK. For more information, please visit https://cancer.baptisthealth.net/miami-cancer-institute.

Miami Cancer Institute is part of Baptist Health Cancer Care, the largest cancer program in South Florida, with locations from the Florida Keys to the Palm Beaches.

About Baptist Health South Florida
Baptist Health is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 12 hospitals, more than 27,000 employees, 4,000 physicians and 200 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned centers of excellence in cancer, cardiovascular care, orthopedics and sports medicine, and neurosciences. The organization includes Baptist Health Medical Group, Baptist Health Quality Network and Baptist Health Care On Demand, a virtual health platform. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Instituto Medico San Nicolas
Instituto Medico San Nicolas (ImSan) is a 22-bed medical facility for hospital care located in San Nicolas, Aruba. Specializing in the treatment of patients with chronic noncommunicable disease, its services and support areas include an emergency department, three operating rooms and medical surgery department, a diabetic center, a full-service eye center and clinics, dialysis, radiology, radiation oncology, pharmacy, central sterile and the ambulance operations for the island. For more information, please visit https://www.imsan.aw/

About The Joint Commission
Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve healthcare for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating healthcare organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 21,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

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CARIBPR WIRE, BRUSSELS, Belgium, July 13, 2023: In response to two World Health Organization (WHO) evaluations of aspartame, one of the most thoroughly researched ingredients in the world, released today, the International Sweeteners Association (ISA) applauds the WHO’s reaffirmation of aspartame’s safety by its leading scientific body responsible for evaluating the safety of food additives, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). These conclusions are consistent with the findings of over 90 global food safety agencies who have confirmed aspartame’s safety, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), that has reviewed aspartame twice, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“JECFA has once again reaffirmed aspartame’s safety after conducting a thorough, comprehensive and scientifically rigorous review” said ISA Secretary General Frances Hunt-Wood. “Aspartame, like all low/no calorie sweeteners, when used as part of a balanced diet, provides consumers with choice to reduce sugar intake, a critical public health objective.”

As part of its comprehensive assessment, reconfirming the safety of aspartame, JECFA examined IARC’s conclusions and found no concern for human health. Importantly, IARC is not a food safety body and its 2B classification does not consider intake levels nor actual risk, making an IARC review far less comprehensive than the thorough reviews conducted by food safety bodies like JECFA and potentially confusing for consumers.

To put this in context, IARC’s 2B classification puts aspartame in the same category as kimchi and other pickled vegetables. IARC would be the first to say that they don’t suggest people should stop using kimchi at meals.

As part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle, aspartame can be used to further public health objectives on sugar intake reduction and ultimately assist in weight and diabetes management, as well as with dental health.

ENDS

RESPUESTA A LAS REVISIONES DEL ASPARTAMO DE LA ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DE LA SALUD

CARIBPR WIRE, BRUSELAS, July 13, 2023: En respuesta a las dos evaluaciones del aspartamo, uno de los ingredientes más exhaustivamente estudiados del mundo, por parte de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) publicadas hoy, la Asociación Internacional de Edulcorantes (ISA) aplaude la reafirmación de la OMS sobre la seguridad del aspartamo por parte de su destacado organismo científico responsable de evaluar la seguridad de los aditivos alimentarios, el Comité Mixto de Expertos en Aditivos Alimentarios (JECFA) de la FAO/OMS. Estas conclusiones son coherentes con las conclusiones de más de 90 agencias de seguridad alimentaria de todo el mundo que han confirmado la seguridad del aspartamo, incluidas la Autoridad Europea de Seguridad Alimentaria (EFSA), que ha revisado el aspartamo dos veces, y la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de Estados Unidos (FDA).

“El JECFA ha vuelto a reafirmar la seguridad del aspartamo después de llevar a cabo una revisión exhaustiva, completa y científicamente rigurosa”, afirma la Secretaria General de la ISA, Frances Hunt-Wood. “El aspartamo, como todos los edulcorantes bajos en calorías/sin calorías, si se usa como parte de una dieta equilibrada, ofrece a los consumidores la posibilidad de reducir la ingesta de azúcares, un objetivo fundamental de salud pública”.

Como parte de su completa evaluación, que reconfirma la seguridad del aspartamo, el JECFA examinó las conclusiones de la Agencia Internacional para la Investigación del Cáncer (IARC) y no ha encontrado ningún motivo de preocupación para la salud humana. Es importante destacar que la IARC no es un organismo de seguridad alimentaria, y que su clasificación 2B no toma en cuenta los niveles de ingesta ni el riesgo real, lo que hace que la revisión de la IARC sea bastante menos completa que las exhaustivas revisiones realizadas por organismos de seguridad alimentaria como el JECFA, y que pueda confundir a los consumidores.

Para poner esto en contexto, la clasificación 2B de la IARC sitúa al aspartamo en la misma categoría que el kimchi y otros vegetales encurtidos. La IARC debería ser la primera en aclarar que no está sugiriendo que la gente deba dejar de tomar kimchi en las comidas.

Como parte de una dieta y un estilo de vida general saludables, el aspartamo puede ser útil para promover los objetivos de salud pública de reducción de la ingesta de azúcares y, en definitiva, ayudar en el control del peso y el tratamiento de la diabetes, así como con la salud bucodental.

FIN

Innovation born from Anguillan ingenuity has earned seven USPTO utility patent awards since the pandemic, showing that even in challenging times, human creativity and determination know no bounds.

CARIBPR Wire, The Valley, Anguilla, Tues. May 23, 2023: Dr. Hughes, an Anguillan plastic surgeon has co-invented a method for unassisted robotic surgery at the quantum scale. Far from being a play on words, the invention aims to eliminate human error from one of medicine’s most ambitious and intricate skills – surgery. The surgical innovation represents the second patent for Hughes in the month of May, a noteworthy achievement, considering that only 13% of issued patents are awarded to doctoral scientists and engineers, and multiple patent grants are even rarer. Technology and societies evolve with innovation, robotics, artificial intelligence, advanced anatomic imaging, and programmatic processes have advanced substantial over the last decade. While surgical advancements have historically lagged, this latest invention is positioned to transform the field of microsurgery, enabling techniques to operate at the atomic scale, well beyond the limits of human dexterity and traditional surgical instruments. This invention, entitled “Unassisted Robotic Surgery Employing Paramagnetic Halo Metallofullerenes as Minimally Invasive, Precision Scalpels or Micronization Particles through Magnetic Field Manipulation and Targeted Exenteration Patterned by Programmed 3D Imaging Using Needle or Magnetic Energy Access and Microelectronic Semiconducting in Non-stationary Wafer-less Space” addresses the complexities and challenges of human biology, encompassing minuscule glands, intricate anatomic pathways, microscopic neuroanatomy, and nanoscale pathophysiology (Patent No. 11,653,984). Dr. Hughes, a board-certified plastic and general surgeon, envisions early utility of this breakthrough as a potential cure for chronic dry eye disease, which affects nearly half of the population due to clogged eyelid glands. The innovation could redefine the limits of surgery and patient care, enabling treatment of previously untreatable conditions and unlocking new possibilities for challenging procedures that have been hindered by the limitations of human hands and macroscale surgical instruments, such as deep brain surgery. Hughes Medical Center offers a comprehensive suite of procedures using a healthcare model that features both local and visiting specialists that deliver globally recognized care. Their diverse and dynamic practice of physicians from the West Indies, United States and Europe foster deep connections with Anguillan patients, providing exceptional care alongside intellectual engagement.  In addition to this patent accolade, Dr. Hughes has two additional inventions under review that focus on weight loss and malnutrition mitigation and stunting in children. His motivations towards these major health challenges are regionally charged, as childhood stunting affects nearly 30% of the population in nearby Haiti while antithetically 20% of children in this same population experience obesity. Dr. Hughes emphasizes the importance of fostering innovation in the West Indies. “Our West Indies family of nations must break from our economic past by using our creativity and hardscrabble environment as inspiration and motivation. Our most favored competitive asset is our endemic abilities, and we must teach our children to read, first and foremost, and secondly, fuel our kids with STEM education.” Dr. Hughes went on to explain the need for local manufacturing of inventions in the Caribbean, highlighting that high technology factory floorspace requirements are significantly smaller for innovations like the upcoming malnutrition solution and cure for stunting. He cited a previous invention for mitigating STDs and UTIs, explaining that the atomic scale matter required to meet annual global demand would only fill up a kitchen cabinet or two, showcasing the potential for the region to become a hub for advanced manufacturing. In 2023, Anguilla emerges as a hotspot for innovation and invention, propelling the region to new technological heights and industrial possibilities. This resurgence harkens back to the days of the “sea island cotton era” and the first resident cottonseed removal gin, now proudly displayed at the Anguilla Heritage Collection Museum in the East End. The cotton gin, once a significant capital investment equivalent to purchasing multiple homes, highlights the historical importance of Anguilla’s cotton yield and its role in British textile industry dominance. The island’s rich industrial past also includes the Sombrero phosphate mines, which employed 130 Anguillan workers and produced the fertilizer that replenished the depleted soils in the U.S. Southern States following the American Civil War. This vital contribution helped save the war-weary, hungry, and disheveled population from starvation. Although the lucrative mineral lease payments made directly to the war-depleted UK crown coffers have never been formally acknowledged or credited, they remain an unforgettable part of Anguilla’s ancestral legacy. EDITOR’S NOTE: A photo of Dr. Lowell for use with this article is available HERE CAPTION: Dr. Lowell Hughes, an Anguillan plastic surgeon has co-invented a method for unassisted robotic surgery at the quantum scale.

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CONTACT: Terry Earl Brady Principle at A.T. Research Partners Email: [email protected] Phone: +1-336-217-5163 Address: PO BOX 1639, The Valley, AI AI-2640, British West Indies SOURCE: AT Research Partners [www.atresearchpartners.com]

Risk Mitigation of Infectious Disease Transmission from Incidental and Intimate Contact Using Atomic Scale Molecular Disruption and Biocidal Halo-fullerenes Delivered via Topical, Flushing and Enteral Mechanisms,

US Patent No. 11,638,720; May 2, 2023.

CARIBPR WIRE, The Valley, AI / May 02, 2023 / During COVID-19 havoc, Anguillan inventors worked to prevent hospital acquired infections (HAIs), but also broadly, urinary tract (UTIs) and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). These biocides are atomic scale matter without mutagenic consequence or antibiotic microbial resistance (AMR). Atomic scale reactions kinetically destroy viral, bacterial, and fungal species.  Atomic physics prevents interference with anatomy and cell biology. Utilities are presurgical sterilizing scrubs, injections, phlebotomy or IV therapy as preventive measures against HAIs. The UTI epidemic (million cases a day) was disturbingly newly identified by eating meat and paradoxically colonizing the urinary tract. An aqueous suspension using diuresis renal flushes may prevent colonization including STDs.

Every government house understands microbe infections as the leading cause of untimely deaths, sepsis, and forecasted to become the leading cause of “all deaths”. Sepsis is overtaking cancers, heart-failure, accidents, and other causes cumulatively. Microbe infested planet Earth showed that COVID-19, and a 2^nd pathogen was usually present with pandemic death.

Regionally, Dr. Hughes is a Renaissance surgeon and polymath and a University of the West Indies graduate. Returning to his academic roots with this patent (lifegoal) and a broader objective for the Caribbean and Anguilla. He is coinventor of 3 other filings and awards hopefully forthcoming.

Dr. Hughes, speaking provenance-wise, “Our hardscrabble childhoods and ancestry gave us cleverness and skills that make us inventors. Knowing the ropes of intellectual property will diversify our economy, technologically” — “Our unspoiled youth grow up outdoors using imagination with boating, fishing, and machinery repair. — We must teach our schools and children about “cognitive property” — out-of-thin-air — and bolsters STEM education.”

This invention is the 5^th since the COVID 19 Pandemic with “The Valley, AI” address. A British Overseas Territories innovation—hothouse, — and beyond. Had these inventions emerged in “The City of London or Slough” knighthoods would have followed.

Topically, a UK economist published the scourge of sepsis by UK Prime Minister appointment; lookup: “Jim O’Neill”. His reports depict morbidity and mortality including the £100s of trillions of AMR, sepsis cost. Jim O’Neill: now “Lord Jim O’Neill” (deservingly), but no invention nor infectious disease decline.

IMAGE FOR USE WITH PRESS RELEASE: Dr. Lowell Hughes of Anguilla

CONTACT:

SOURCE:

AT Research Partners [www.atresearchpartners.com]

ABC Paediatrics to be the first to unveil the device at their medical facility on 11/1/22

CARIBPR WIRE, MIAMI, FL., Thurs. October, 27, 2022: The first ever portable hematology analytical instrument by Sight Diagnostics called the OLO has been installed in the Caribbean to provide near-immediate Complete Blood Count (CBC) results to patients of Trinidad and Tobago, especially within the areas of the critically ill, oncology, and pediatrics. The CBC analyzer that accelerates the time to diagnosis and treatment will be deployed at ABC Paediatrics on November 1 at a gathering of country officials in conjunction with the medical community. This cutting-edge technology is meant to replace the bulky Flow Cytometers in low-volume and critical-need point-of-care testing (POCT) sites and settings.

A CBC test is the most elemental of medical laboratory tests and therefore, the “base camp” for diagnosing a medical condition. Up until this point, the residents of CARICOM and Trinidad and Tobago’s more remote areas had a long and involved process for getting CBC tests completed as the current method requires multiple steps, facilities, and large flow cytometer instruments at central labs. While highly accurate and fast, they proved expensive to buy and keep. With the introduction of the OLO, medical facilities won’t have to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to acquire a flow cytometer.

The 22-pound device measuring 12.7 inches x 11.2 inches x 10 inches will bring readily available, portable, and cost-effective CBC testing without compromising the accuracy of the blood test. This device will only require two drops of blood from a finger prick of a patient aged three months or over versus the usual blood vial, though sample collection from a traditional blood collection tube is also possible. In addition, it will only take minutes to deliver results via a touchscreen interface, printout, or email.

Johann Ali, Managing Director of the distributor companies, says, “We’re known for bringing revolutionary technology to the Caribbean, and we’re incredibly honored to be involved with the distribution of the first method for ‘digitizing’ blood to the region.  Sapphire Export Group is the authorized distributor in the CARICOM region, while in Trinidad and Tobago, the product will be sold through JT Rapid Diagnostics, Ltd.  Both are pioneers in rapid point-of-care diagnostics in the Caribbean for more than 30 years. Making this happen will be ABC Paediatrics, a group pediatric practice in St. Augustine, Trinidad led by Dr. Leonardo Akan, who was Chief Resident at Jackson/U Health in Miami, Florida, and Dr. Tricia Jailal, who trained in the UK. Both doctors, executives from the manufacturer, and city officials will be present during the deployment, led by Sight Diagnostics, Inc. In addition, executives of Sapphire Export Group, LLC and JT Rapid Diagnostics, Ltd will be on hand for questions.

The historical deployment will take place at 10:00 am on November 1, 2022, at ABC Paediatrics #139 Eastern Main Road, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. For questions contact Johann Ali, representing both distributors, by email at [email protected].

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ABOUT SIGHT DIAGNOSTICS

Founded in 2011, Sight Diagnostics® is a blood diagnostic company that combines machine vision and AI to improve health through fast, convenient, and pain-free diagnostic testing. Sight’s technology, developed over almost a decade of research, represents innovations in blood sample preparation and optics, as well as advancements in chemistry, biology, physics, and computer science. Sight’s first product, Parasight ™, has been used to detect malaria in almost 1 million tests across 24 countries. Sight OLO®, Sight’s latest blood analyzer aimed at improving how Complete Blood Count (CBC) tests are performed, received FDA 510(k) clearance for use in moderately complex settings. With just 2 drops of blood obtained from a finger prick or venous sample, OLO digitizes each blood sample with more than 1,000 high-resolution images to provide accurate, lab-grade CBC results in minutes. Across Europe and the US, OLO has been adopted by both public and private healthcare institutions. Sight has also established partnerships to bring OLO to market in Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia. Sight is committed to applying its AI-based technology to transform health systems in a world where decentralized diagnostics play an increasingly important role in patient outcomes. For full indications for use and safety information, please visit https://sightdx.com/en-us.

ABOUT JT RAPID DIAGNOSTICS, LTD.

JT Rapid Diagnostics, Ltd. is a manufacturer representative focused primarily on the medical, oil and gas, and hospitality & food safety industries. JT Rapid has been a pioneer in rapid point-of-care diagnostics in the Caribbean for more than 30 years. Our founder brought modern, home-based patient-managed diabetes care to the Caribbean region in 1984, and we have led the way since. Today, we are the sole distributor of top-rated, exceptionally high-quality products for multiple points of care and critical-need areas of public and industrial health. For more info, visit https://jtrapid.com/.

ABOUT SAPHIRE EXPORT GROUP, LLC.

Sapphire Export Group is a manufacturer representative focused primarily on the medical, oil and gas, and hospitality & food safety industries, and services all of CARICOM including Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos Islands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarteen/Saint Martin.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Image for use with this article can be accessed HERE

The global partnership offers hospitals a range of complementary solutions and services for the migration, consolidation, protection, accessibility, and interoperability of healthcare data.

WOBURN, Mass., Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ – BridgeHead Software, the Healthcare Data Management company, today announced a strategic partnership with leading healthcare IT services provider, CereCore^®. The collaboration offers integrated delivery networks (IDNs), health systems, and independent hospitals a range of data solutions and IT services that help ensure clinical care teams have the data they need to provide quality patient care and smooth hospital operations.

Digital transformation initiatives have accelerated across the healthcare industry, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. BridgeHead and CereCore are both deeply experienced in serving the healthcare market. Their complementary solutions support hospitals throughout the process of managing and protecting patient and healthcare operations data and migrating to the Cloud.

Through this global partnership, BridgeHead and CereCore are expanding the options for hospitals to gain a fully-managed healthcare data solution focused on these common challenges:

• Safeguarding clinical data through a backup and disaster recovery managed service will help support the continuity of patient care. Using the BridgeHead RAPid Data Protection solution, mission critical systems such as an electronic health record (EHR) can be recovered from a cyberattack, system outage, data corruption, accidental data deletion or natural disaster.
• Providing clinical and operational leaders access to archived healthcare data in a cost-efficient manner can lead to more informed decision making. Using BridgeHead’s FileStore^™ (also part of the RAPid Data Protection suite), healthcare operators and leaders have a cost-effective solution to actively store, retain, and manage their vast array of unstructured data.
• Consolidating and centralizing clinical data stored outside of the EHR supports quality patient care. The managed service using BridgeHead’s HealthStore^®, an independent clinical repository, can give providers and clinical care teams direct access to patient data in context via the EHR or other primary systems. Not only will HealthStore^® create a vendor neutral archive (VNA) that can underpin an enterprise imaging strategy, but it will allow healthcare organizations to retire a wide variety of duplicate or replaced systems.

“CereCore has expertise in public and private Cloud hosting, and our partnership will provide more opportunities for BridgeHead solutions to be deployed in flexible and varied ways – offering on premise, fully Cloud, or hybrid Cloud options,” said Jim Beagle, President and CEO at BridgeHead Software. “Both of our companies have been immersed in healthcare IT for more than 20 years and have a shared vision to enable healthcare organizations with technology solutions that improve clinical and operational efficiency whilst providing a futureproof blueprint for the long-term management of patient data.”

“The power of today’s healthcare applications lies within its data – the ability to consolidate it, protect it, analyze it and make it available to healthcare providers around the clock,” said Curtis Watkins, President and CEO of CereCore. “BridgeHead provides a suite of healthcare data technology solutions that gives the healthcare organizations we work with a wider range of options. Like us, they have an acute understanding of the key challenges facing healthcare providers today as they continually strive to enhance patient care against a backdrop of legislative change, economic uncertainty, and cost constraints. Perhaps even more importantly, BridgeHead Software is a partner organization who shares our vision for making a tangible difference in the way clinical care teams use technology to deliver improved clinical outcomes and better overall patient experience. Their long-standing position in the healthcare industry pioneering high quality data management and protection solutions makes them a great match for CereCore.”

“The partnership between CereCore and BridgeHead comes at a time where there is a real shift in the healthcare market,” said Beagle. “Though the effects of the pandemic are still being felt by healthcare providers and continue to have a significant global impact, it has also accelerated digital transformation initiatives – especially those concerning the long-term management of data. With the rapid pace of emerging technologies, the value that data can bring in improving care and driving efficiency is evident. CereCore and BridgeHead, together, are able to offer customers ‘tried and tested’, cost-effective, and comprehensive data management solutions, with an array of deployment options (including a fully managed service), all provided by trusted healthcare IT experts. By allowing BridgeHead and CereCore to do what they do best, frees our customers from operational data management tasks to focus on the hospital’s highest priorities.”

CereCore provides IT services that make it easier for hospital operators to focus on transforming healthcare through technology. With a heritage rooted in top-performing hospitals, we provide IT and application support, technical professional and managed services, IT advisory services, and EHR implementation and consulting to hospitals and health systems. Find more information at https://cerecore.net.

With over 25 years’ experience in data and storage management, BridgeHead Software is trusted by over 1,200 hospitals worldwide. Today, BridgeHead helps healthcare facilities overcome challenges stemming from rising data volumes and increasing storage costs while delivering peace of mind around how to consolidate, store, protect, and share clinical and administrative information.

BridgeHead’s Healthcare Data Management solutions are designed to work with any hospital’s chosen applications and storage hardware, regardless of vendor, providing greater choice, flexibility and control over the way data is managed, now and in the future. For more information, visit http://www.bridgeheadsoftware.com or follow on Twitter at @BridgeHeadHDM.

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$4.5 Million in Grant Funding Expands New Alzheimer’s Early Detection and Healthcare System Preparedness Efforts

CARIBPR WIRE, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, May 23, 2022 — The Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC), the organization leading an unprecedented global response to Alzheimer’s disease, today announced the recipients of a grant program aiming for early detection of cognitive symptoms. The early detection grants total $4.5 Million from 8 countries across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The grants are an initiative of the DAC Healthcare System Preparedness Project, which aims to advance how healthcare systems worldwide detect, diagnose, treat, and care for people with or at risk for Alzheimer’s.

Grantees are located throughout the US, Brunei, Kenya, Germany, Japan, Canada, Cuba, and Armenia. Several grants will focus on expanding cognition screening and training for primary care providers. Others are harnessing innovative technologies to utilize optometrists and pharmacists. This will expand the pool of frontline workers available to screen for early detection, and reduce the unnecessary use of  specialist care. Another deploys a mobile clinic to offer direct clinical support or equip digital tablets to volunteer workers to rapidly improve detection  rates.

According to George Vradenburg, Founding Chairman of the Board, Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, “Each grant will bring unique and measurable benefits to its local health system and community and, through DAC’s global learning network, will also spread their learnings broadly around the world. Finding new and innovative ways to advance early detection is paramount to improving healthcare systems’ abilities to provide better care today, and to prepare for the future availability of treatments.”

The grant application process was extensive, with DAC receiving 76 responses from 21 countries in two months. A diverse panel of experts, including a family member of an Alzheimer’s patient living with the disease, served as an independent review committee for these grants:

• Tarun Dua (Global) – World Health Organization
• Wendy Weidner (Global) – Alzheimer’s Disease International
• Ricardo Allegri (Argentina) – University of Buenos Aires & World Dementia Council
• Chirine Chehab (Lebanon) – American University Hospital of Beirut
• Lori Frank (United States) – RAND Corporation & New York Academy of Medicines
• Ryoji Noritake (Japan) – Health and Global Policy Institute
• Terry Fulmer (United States) – John A. Hartford Foundation
• Chandresh Harjivan (Canada) – Family member of an Alzheimer’s patient

“Early detection of cognitive decline is critical for patients and families and I am excited to see the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative tackling this challenge with their Health System Preparedness Initiative,” says Chandresh Harjivan, a family member of an Alzheimer’s patient. “I was honored to be asked to be part of such an esteemed review committee and am very happy that families living with the disease were part of the evaluation process.”

A summary of each grant can be found below.

About the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative

Launched at the World Economic Forum’s 2021 meeting on The Davos Agenda, The Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative is a multi-stakeholder partnership committed to aligning stakeholders with a new vision for our collective global response against the challenges Alzheimer’s presents to patients, caregivers and healthcare infrastructures. Convened by The World Economic Forum and The Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s Disease (CEOi) and fueled by a mission of service to the estimated 150 million families and half a billion people inevitably impacted by this disease by 2050, DAC is a collaborative for the benefit of all people, in all places.

About DAC’s Healthcare System Preparedness Project

DAC’s Healthcare System Preparedness Project (DAC-SP) is funding innovative approaches that measurably increase rates of cognitive screening, early detection and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s through pilot projects and early detection grants. The pilot projects are: AdventHealth Central Florida, FL, USA; Municipality of Volta Redonda, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Alzheimer Scotland; University of the West Indies (UWI), Caribbean Institute for Health Research, Jamaica; Kobe University, Japan; INGER/National Institute of Geriatrics, Mexico; and, Indiana University School of Medicine/Indiana University Health, IN, USA. These initiatives are incorporated into DAC Learning Labs, a network of governments and public health and healthcare system leaders, to share best practices that can be scaled globally.

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***PLEASE NOTE: Click here to view a recorded discussion with some of the grant recipients, in which over 500 global leaders from 53 countries tuned in to learn about early detection. Click here to be kept informed about updated information regarding the DAC initiative.

Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative Early Detection Grants

Toronto Memory Program and RetiSpec (Canada)

This project implements the world’s first screening model that leverages collaboration between optometry and a local Alzheimer Society chapter to enable accessible identification of individuals at risk for Alzheimer’s disease and referral to a qualified clinician, facilitating a faster diagnosis. The two community-based entry points include: (1) optometry clinics, where individuals can receive a non-invasive RetiSpec retinal scan for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease; and (2) the Alzheimer Society of Toronto, where individuals can undergo cognitive assessment.

Ludwig-Maximillans University (Germany)

Partners with two Universities, a health and social care charity, and three industry partners to conduct three screening types on seniors in Germany. This study will identify the best screening method by offering digital cognitive assessments, SCD questionnaire screening, and blood AD biomarkers testing to different groups. This study will also generate a patient registry to enroll patients in the global cohort and clinical trials workstreams, establish a fluid biobank, and train Artificial Intelligence diagnostic systems to better analyze speech patterns.

University of Havana (Cuba)

Provides a two-month training to primary care providers to integrate tablet based cognitive assessments Brain Health Assessment (BHA). The care provider will be assisted by informants, meaning a family-member or other person close to the patient, to help primary care providers determine if a dementia diagnosis is warranted.

Avant Institute (US – Multiple States)

This project implements Cognivue Clarity, a self-administered 10-minute cognitive performance screening tool, to increase access to digital cognitive screening assessments in 20-30 Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network (CPESN) pharmacy sites across rural, urban, and underserved communities throughout the United States. This project provides training and onboarding for pharmacies to use Cognivue to screen patients and evaluate the results to make further recommendations and referrals.

Africa Mental Health Research and Training Foundation (Kenya)

This project redeploys existing volunteer staff in the Strengthening Responses to Dementia in Developing Countries (STRiDE) project and trains community health workers to screen 2,400 people aged 60 and above. Workers are equipped with tablets to conduct the screening Instrument for Dementia (CSI-D) cognitive assessment and informant interview, word list recall task, and Euro-Dementia scale. Ultimately, results will inform health system policy and practices in Kenya.

Alzheimer’s Care Armenia (Armenia)

This cognitive screening education programs utilizes a van that has been outfitted as a multidisciplinary mobile clinic to offer educational programs and work with local clinical staff to screen for cognitive issues using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA). The program provides citizens who test positive for cognitive decline with healthcare resources and offers workshops to caregivers on providing support.

Advocate Aurora Health (US- Illinois)

This project aims to educate primary care providers on the importance of early cognitive screening and provide them with EPIC electronic health record-based digital testing tools to manage their patients efficiently. Clinicians get access to continuing education programming, eConsult support services, and participate in a monthly Project ECHO-type case conference to discuss topics on dementia.

Kobe City Pharmaceutical Association (Japan)

This project evaluates the value of pharmacy-based digital cognitive tests. It combines the cognitive test with a regular healthcare consultation to increase regular cognitive testing, the rate of early detection of cognitive decline, and timely and accurate diagnosis of dementia in local community-based healthcare system.

University of Washington (US- Washington)

This project expands the pilot site success of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Kickstart, Assess, Evaluate and Refer (KAER Toolkit, 2020 Edition) into a fully operational Cognition in Primary Care (CPC) protocol in seven new primary care clinics across the University of Washington. The CPC model includes provider education training and incorporates two validated tests, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCa) and the Ascertain Dementia 8-Item Informant Questionnaire (AD8), and a structured Cognitive Checklist. This model checks for comorbidities of dementia and provides guidance on follow-up counseling and referrals to community resources.

Demensia (Brunei)

This project will perform a pilot test of community screening and information in Senior Citizen Activity Centers, followed by a focus group discussion to select an initial paper-based cognitive assessment. The project will systematically involve communities at grassroots levels – senior citizen activity centres, engagement of village heads and community centres, targeting older people and those with dementia risk factors. Community links formed by the association are available for multisectoral support with this initiative. Other project activities also include training of field workers regarding community screening and cognitive assessment and training workshops for primary care (followed by relevant specialties).

American Academy of Physician Associates and Cleveland Clinic (US – Ohio)

Through partnership with The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), the Physician Associate (PA) Foundation, and Cleveland Clinic, this project develops cognitive assessment toolkit for non-specialist medical practitioners to be trained in administering screenings, interpreting results, communicating those results and offering additional provider and patient resources. The pilot implementation will be followed by outcomes reporting and dissemination of the toolkit to the network of PA schools and all Cleveland Clinic locations.

Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) (US – Massachusetts)

This project uses a systems redesign approach, working with approximately eight teams across a range of settings on testing and measuring the results of intervention strategies that increase assessment rates. IHI will build and operate a learning community to encourage peer learning among participating teams, provide guidance, and teach scientific improvement methods to facilitate the teams’ testing. Project outputs include a prototype set of interventions, implementation guidance, and an associated measurement set that will be ready to share and scale more widely.

CaribPR Wire, WASHINGTON, D.C., Weds. May 11, 2022: Blood shortages due to COVID-19 are prevalent across the world. In January, the American Red Cross declared “a national blood crisis”, calling for an increase in donation. This blood crisis was called the worst shortage in over a decade, and it posed a significant risk to patient care.

In South Korea, 18,000 donors from Heavenly Culture, World Peace and Restoration of Light (HWPL) and Shincheonji Church of Jesus collaboratively donated blood during a two-week blood drive beginning April 18th. This joint blood drive was recorded as the largest single group blood donation in the country.

Namsun Cho, head of the Korean Red Cross Blood Services, said: “When the impact of the Omicron reached its peak, Shincheonji Church of Jesus launched a large scale of blood donation. It was like rain during a drought. We are surprised that the number of donors exceeded 6,000 in 3 days and more people participated. We appreciate their life-saving dedication.”

A donation of this magnitude is particularly impactful, as even a single blood donation can save up to three lives.

“They did a really great job in the life-sharing movement. This scale is equivalent to one army corps donating blood for a year. The number of blood donors is nearly four times the number in a normal day, a great help in overcoming the current blood supply crisis,” said an official from the Blood Services.

“We also appreciate the members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus who participated in the nationwide plasma donation for the development of a treatment for COVID-19 back in 2020,” he added.

In South Korea, blood donation certificates are issued to blood donors that can be used for a reduced fee when paying for a future blood transfusion. All the donors of Shincheonji and HWPL gave their personal certificates to alleviate the financial burden of patients in need of a blood transfusion.

Efforts to aid in replenishing and protecting the blood supply were not limited to just South Korea, however. In Washington, DC, members of Shincheonji organized a blood drive to donate plasma and help accelerate the development of a cure for COVID-19. The campaign organized and actively participated in by the DC congregation of Shincheonji Church of Jesus included four mass blood and plasma drives. Drawing hundreds of donors, two of the blood and plasma drives were held at Children’s National Hospital and two were held at INOVA Hospital.

The heart of Shincheonji Church of Jesus is clearly shown in their dedication to continuing to help their surrounding communities despite their members having also suffered greatly during the pandemic. Aligned with the ideals of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, HWPL is carrying out long-term peace projects based on solidarity with civil society and international organizations in 193 countries. The priorities of both organizations make an ideal partnership as their members donate blood together, and this is evidenced by the impact of their joint effort.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A picture for use with this press release is available HERE

Seven Flagship Pilot Sites Aim to Measurably Increase Timely, Accurate Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s

• Unique global collaboration to prepare health systems for a future with new Alzheimer’s treatments
• Pioneering use of blood-based biomarkers with digital cognitive assessments in primary care
• Innovative, culturally relevant methods that can scale in high, low-and middle-income countries

CARIBPR WIRE, New York, NY, May 3, 2022: The Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC) today announced that people with or at risk of Alzheimer’s in six countries will soon have an opportunity to participate in a pilot program designed to increase access to early detection and diagnosis of the disease through the use of innovative new screening tools, which is an essential step to provide better care today, and to prepare for the future availability of treatments. DAC is launching seven pilot sites beginning this month in the US, Scotland, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico and Brazil.

“We are finding enormous appetite from healthcare systems around the world to prepare for future Alzheimer’s treatments, but first we must help healthcare systems adapt to early detection,” said George Vradenburg, Founding Chairman of the Board, Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, and Convener, The Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s Disease. “By working directly with medical professionals, researchers, people at risk, and patients, these sites will utilize cutting-edge technology to change the way we deliver care, and help prepare healthcare systems to get the right treatments to the right patients at every stage of the disease.”

The pilot sites will use simple digital cognitive assessment tools to detect the signs of the disease early, and innovative blood biomarkers to help evaluate the cause of identified symptoms. The goal is to measurably increase rates of timely and accurate diagnosis to put people on the correct person-centered care pathways and mitigate the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on the individual and their family.

Digital cognitive assessments such as Linus Health’s Core Cognitive Evaluation, Cogstate’s Cognigram, and Cognivue’s Clarity will be made available to the pilot sites, reducing the need for broad neuropsychological testing, which is time consuming for patients and requires specialized physicians for administration. Digital cognitive assessments also mark a significant technological advance over paper-and-pencil tests in terms of reliability and objectivity. DAC program sites are training other healthcare professionals to administer the digital cognitive assessments. In some cases, it can be administered via a tablet in the patient’s home, marking a dramatic step forward in terms of access and ease-of-use.

The blood-based biomarker, known as the PrecivityAD™ test, is a technology developed by specialty diagnostics company, C2N (St. Louis, MO). The test will aid in the accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, and reduce the need for expensive, hard-to-access, more advanced tests.

“We’re proud and excited to play a key role in DAC’s groundbreaking work to enable Alzheimer’s early detection on a global scale,” said Dr. Joel Braunstein, Co-Founder and CEO of C2N Diagnostics. “Harnessing the power of advanced diagnostics like our PrecivityAD test at DAC’s pilot sites will accelerate the fight to end Alzheimer’s.”

“DAC and the flagship pilot sites are driving new tools into the front lines of care. This is important to help patients today, and develop the data we need to better detect, treat and ultimately prevent this devastating disease,” said Stephen Friend, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Sage Bionetworks, Visiting Professor of Connected Medicine, and President 4YouandMe.

The pilot sites will provide localized care and treatment for individuals and develop models for broader healthcare systems to study and adopt. DAC Learning Labs, a network of governments, public health and healthcare system leaders, will provide a forum for sharing best practices that can be scaled globally.

About the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative

Launched at the World Economic Forum’s 2021 meeting on The Davos Agenda, The Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative is a multi-stakeholder partnership committed to aligning stakeholders with a new vision for our collective global response against the challenges Alzheimer’s presents to patients, caregivers and healthcare infrastructures. Convened by The World Economic Forum and The Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s Disease (CEOi) and fueled by a mission of service to the estimated 150 million families and half a billion people inevitably impacted by this disease by 2050, DAC is a collaborative for the benefit of all people, in all places.

About DAC’s Healthcare System Preparedness Project

DAC’s Healthcare System Preparedness Project is funding innovative approaches that measurably increase rates of cognitive screening, early detection and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. The pilot projects are: AdventHealth Central Florida, FL, USA; Municipality of Volta Redonda, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Alzheimer Scotland; University of the West Indies (UWI), Caribbean Institute for Health Research, Jamaica; Kobe University, Japan; INGER/National Institute of Geriatrics, Mexico; and, Indiana University School of Medicine/Indiana University Health, IN, USA. These initiatives are incorporated into DAC Learning Labs, a network of governments and public health and healthcare system leaders, to share best practices that can be scaled globally.

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NOTE: To join an upcoming Learning Lab such as Meeting of the DAC Learning Laboratory: Driving Early Detection Across Aging Societies, planned for May 17, 2022, click here. This Lab will feature DAC healthcare system pilot sites and demonstrate the first of many collaborative exchanges championed through DAC’s initiatives.

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• The Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s Disease

CaribPR Wire, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, Sat. Jan. 22, 2022: A US study is putting the spotlight on Afro-Caribbean nationals who have heart disease, or have been diagnosed with Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy, (ATTR-CM).

Afro-Caribbeans with lived experiences can now share their story via a national, qualitative study and get paid if they are considered a good candidate.

The national study is intended to deepen understanding of Afro-Caribbean people suffering heart issues, including heart failure and related health conditions, such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, etc.

“We are focused on the Afro-Caribbean community due to a higher prevalence of heart failure and specifically Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM),” said Donna Fullerton, Research Partner at Now What. “It is well-established that the broader Black community is disproportionately affected by ATTR-CM, which is driving our attention here. We are looking to speak with, hear stories from, and understand the nuances within the Black community so that future communications and resources around disease awareness and treatment options will be culturally relevant and appropriate and hopefully lessen the health disparities we see today.”

To qualify, Afro-Caribbeans must be between ages 45-75, live in the US, and have been diagnosed with heart failure. Qualified participants will be paid $200 compensation for 2.5 hours of engagement, answering questions and completing activities over a computer or smartphone.

Participants who make the first round of the study, must also be open to take part in a follow-up 75-minute zoom call, for an additional $150.

If you feel you qualify, complete a short pre-qualification survey at: tinyurl.com/heartresearch before January 31st.

“The online exercises will ask people questions about their culture, their community, their thoughts about health and the healthcare system, and their experiences living with a heart condition,” added Fullerton. “All of our questions are designed to be respectful and empathetic – we only ask people to share what they are comfortable sharing and always respect people’s privacy.”

Heart diseases, such has coronary heart disease and heart failure, are more common in Blacks, than other ethnic groups — and so are the other cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and peripheral artery disease. Health issues like obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes can increase a person’s risk of heart failure. People of African heritage have higher rates of heart failure, hospitalization and death from the disease, according to national data.

Although care of patients with Heart Failure, HF, has improved in the past decade, important disparities in HF outcomes persist based on race/ethnicity. Recent scientific data shows that age-adjusted HF-related cardiovascular disease death rates are higher for Black patients, particularly among young Black men and women whose rates of death are 2.6- and 2.97-fold higher, respectively, than White men and women.

Similarly, the rate of HF hospitalization for Black men and women is nearly 2.5-fold higher when compared with Whites, with costs that are significantly higher in the first year after HF hospitalization.

While the relative rate of HF hospitalization has improved for other race/ethnic minorities, the disparity in HF hospitalization between Black and White patients has not decreased during the last decade.

The ultimate goal of this ongoing, targeted research is to learn from and speak with members of the Afro-Caribbean community so that future communications and resources around disease awareness and treatment options will be culturally relevant and appropriate, in order to hopefully lessen the health disparities currently.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A Photo for use with this story is available HERE

MIRAMAR, Florida, March 15, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ – Ryvex, LLC (www.ryvex.net) in partnership with SD Biosensor (www.sdbiosensor.com) have donated over 20,000 rapid Antigen tests to the OECS member states and Barbados. The kits donated have been approved by the WHO. The kits are scheduled to arrive this week to the different beneficiary island nations.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the donation will strengthen testing response at the country level, improve services delivery capacity, support initiatives to break the chain of transmission of the illness and improve case detection and management.

Testing is the key to getting back to normal. One of Ryvex’s goals is to contribute on finding solutions to help stop the spread of COVID-19, particularly among vulnerable populations that have been disproportionately affected by this pandemic.

Barbados seemed to have avoided a destructive COVID-19 pandemic. The Caribbean nation, home to around 287 000 people, registered fewer than 400 cases of the disease for the whole of 2020. But January, 2021, saw a surge. By the end of the month, Barbados had registered well over 1000 new cases of COVID-19. On Feb 3, 2021, it went into lockdown. On the same day, Saint Lucia, an OECS member state, declared a state of emergency. It has confirmed more than three times as many cases of COVID-19 this year as it did last year. Like Barbados, Saint Lucia has imposed a nightly curfew on its 180 000 or so residents. Community transmission of COVID-19 has also been established in other parts of the Caribbean, including Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Ryvex remains committed in aiding with the efforts to contain the COVID19 pandemic in The Caribbean region through partnerships with public and private health institutions in the region.

Ryvex is the official distributor for SD Biosensor in The Caribbean region.

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SEATTLE, June 25, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ – An unintentional error in calculating total deaths for Latin America and the Caribbean resulted in IHME issuing an incorrect total for the region in a June 24 press release and on its website. The reported total of nearly 388,300 excluded Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. The updated total for Latin America and the Caribbean is 438,698 deaths. IHME regrets the error.

The forecasted deaths for individual nations are correct. IHME will continue to update as new data are available.

The forecasts can be viewed at https://covid19.healthdata.org.

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