CaribPR Wire

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

CARICOM IMPACS will use Windward’s Predictive Intelligence platform to identify illicit maritime trade in the region

LONDON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – Windward, the Predictive Intelligence company applying AI to transform global maritime trade, announced today that it has partnered with The Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), an organization of fifteen Member States and five Associate Members in the Caribbean as well as CARICOM’s Regional Security System (RSS), a treaty organization comprising of Barbados and other countries in the Eastern Caribbean. Windward’s AI-powered maritime intelligence platform will empower CARICOM IMPACS and RSS to support CARICOM Member States in their fight against drug trafficking and illegal activities in the Caribbean’s exclusive economic zones.

As the entryway to the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea is a main stop-over in the trade route from South to North America and illicit activities such as drug trafficking and other types of smuggling are becoming increasingly commonplace, especially in light of recent sanctions placed on Venezuela. Despite a decrease in general maritime activity in the region during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in illicit maritime activities in the Caribbean in recent months. Windward’s platform will support CARICOM Countries, through CARICOM IMPACS and RSS, in their fight against illicit activities by providing a real-time view of the maritime ecosystem and offering AI-powered risk assessments of vessels, companies, shipowners, and all other stakeholders in the maritime domain.

“Windward’s solution is key in our fight against illegal activities,” said Lieutenant Colonel Michael Jones, Executive Director (Ag) of CARICOM. “As illegal shipping methods are becoming more advanced, we turned to Windward’s industry-leading Maritime AI solution to assist in detecting these activities and flagging vessels that are suspicious, enabling us to assist CARICOM Member States to crack down on illicit trade, minimize and/or prevent illegal fishing, and surveil the maritime domain, beyond AIS monitoring.”

Windward’s Maritime AI is powered by hundreds of behavioral analytics models and over 10 billion data points, giving authorities the power to make smarter decisions, faster. Relying on thousands of case studies and a vast array of parameters including vessel routes, Dark Activities, and unusual changes in course, Windward’s platform analyzes existing behaviors to predict in real-time which entities are likely to be involved in illicit activities. Windward’s solution is the new global standard in maritime control, enabling government bodies to protect their borders, national interests, and citizens. The partnership with CARICOM IMPACS and RSS comes on the heels of Windward’s announcements of a partnership with the EU’s Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC-(N)) in October 2020 and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex in January 2021.

“We are thrilled that CARICOM has chosen Windward to help protect its territorial waters throughout the Caribbean,” said Ami Daniel, CEO and Co-Founder of Windward. “The Caribbean Sea is a major point in the trade route of illegal substances leaving South America and of sanctioned oil leaving Venezuela. Using Windward’s Maritime AI technology and real-time insights, CARICOM is strengthening its defenses against these activities and enhancing the transparency needed into the global maritime domain to protect its borders.”

About Windward

Windward is the leading Predictive Intelligence company fusing AI and big data to digitalize the global maritime industry, enabling organizations to achieve business and operational readiness. Windward’s AI-powered solution allows stakeholders including banks, commodity traders, insurers, and major energy and shipping companies to make real time, predictive intelligence-driven decisions, providing a 360° view of the maritime ecosystem and its broader impact on safety, security, finance, and business. For more information visit: https://wnwd.com/.

About CARICOM

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) was established by the Twenty Seventh Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in July 2006, in Bird Rock, St Kitts and Nevis, as the implementation arm of a new Regional Architecture to manage CARICOM’s action agenda on crime and security.

At this Meeting, the Heads of Government signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement establishing the Agency as a legal entity, with direct responsibility for research, monitoring and evaluation, analysis and preparation of background documents and reports, as well as project development and implementation of the regional Crime and Security agenda.

CaribPR Wire, PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Weds. Aug. 12,2015: CARIFESTA, which is the largest cultural and artistic event in the Caribbean, has fused all forms of expression of Latin America and the Caribbean since 1972.

As a result, it has become a major multicultural and international event that increasingly attracts countries from other continents.

The Caribbean is a meeting place for people around the world, a witness of the crossroad of nations, of different migrations by will or force, of life invented a thousand times, shaped through the fusion of different cultures.

CARIFESTA celebrates diversity and similarity; talent and brotherhood. It gives artists the opportunity to discuss, share experiences, learn from one another and share their knowledge and traditions.

All men and women are alike in their beauty. Armed with this strong belief, Haiti opens its doors to welcome the Caribbean and the world from August 21^st to August 30^th, 2015.

CARIFESTA XII activities will be held in five (5) cities across the island: Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, Cap-Haitian, Gonaives, and Cayes.

All disciplines will be featured: dance, cuisine, fashion, cinema, visual arts, literature, music, theater, arts and crafts.

CARICOM

CARICOM (Caribbean Community) – the 14 member countries, including Haiti – has taken all the necessary steps to ensure that this 12^th edition in Haiti continues to fulfill the legacy of CARIFESTA being a Great Cultural and Artistic event since 1972.

Accommodation

Haiti is able to accommodate its many guests at the 12^th edition of CARIFESTA from August 21 to August 30, 2015.

Agreements have been made with the hotels for special packages and attractive rates for CARIFESTA season.

Impacts

Government funding has been allocated to make this great international event possible in Haiti. The event will also be supported by private sector sponsors.

CARIFESTA in Haiti is an incredible opportunity for our artists and creators.

CARIFESTA will have a positive impact on various sectors of national life.

We can rely on CARIFESTA to enhance our image, especially in the Caribbean.

The Grand Market

The Great Market is a giant space for exhibitions from a variety of artistic categories as well as a center of activities for the youth, which will take place in Champs de Mars for 10 days throughout the event will be among the flagship activities of CARIFESTA’s.

Our roots, our culture, our common future!

www.carifesta.net

Capacity building, best-practice sharing and job creating opportunities are addressed with CARICOM leaders during two-day mission to Haiti

 PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – In meeting with the President of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Mr. Desire Delano Bouterse and the Bureau of Heads of Government during CARICOM’s two-day mission to Haiti, Haiti’s Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul stressed that Haiti is charting a new course for sustainable economic development. ”We are focusing our efforts on investment and job creation, particularly in Haiti’s heartland,” he said, articulating the Martelly administration’s new vision for Haiti. ”We understand that the key to driving sustainable development in Haiti is to map it throughout our entire nation and then drive it through local initiatives and decentralized cooperation.”

CARICOM leaders are in Haiti to forge stronger ties and closer cooperation between the 14 member states while exploring ways to strengthen Haiti’s participation in the organization.  Under discussion is the adoption of French as an official and working language for the organization. 

After thanking CARICOM members for their ongoing support of Haiti since the 2010 earthquake, Mayard-Paul emphasized that his nation is progressing in its recovery efforts, saying, “President Martelly’s new vision for Haiti is to build a socially just, economically free, and politically independent nation that does not end with reconstruction but rather, begins with renovation. This is aligned with the administration’s vision for decentralization and job creation through investment.”

Stressing the fact that Haiti offers an energetic and willing workforce, Mayard-Paul said, “It is clear that what Haitians want and need is jobs that will restore their dignity. We are therefore looking forward to working in close collaboration with our CARICOM neighbors to promote opportunities that reflect our communities’ most pressing priorities – jobs. We also seek to share those best practices that are yielding results for other member nations.”

The Minister pointed to collaboration in Civil Protection activities, such as disaster preparedness and relief. ”All of our nations are in geographic locations that make us vulnerable to the variances of nature,” he said. ”Therefore, we welcome best-practice sharing focused on institutional capacity building for preparedness and response, and equipment that will allow us to react more quickly and effectively.”

In encouraging investments from CARICOM nations, the Minister highlighted the myriad of investment opportunities waiting in Haiti’s heartland, especially in social infrastructure initiatives that enable communities to generate jobs and sustainable development.  “With so many great opportunities in agriculture, tourism, infrastructure development and other sectors, we would be looking to CARICOM to help steer investments and contributions in these areas,” he said. “Additionally, as part of CSME [Single Market Economy of the Caribbean], we should be looking at standards that will facilitate the export of Haitian products to our Caribbean neighbors.”

The Haitian minister asked for closer collaboration on cultural exchange activities and cited the possibility of establishing a Caribbean Youth Parliament or Organization that seeks to build lasting relationships among the future leaders of the Caribbean. ”Caribbean universities could also embark on region-wide research related to the environment, the economy and social integration. The idea is that future leaders have a common understanding and culture that will facilitate a common market,” he said.

Overall, the Ministry of the Interior identified 40 key projects pertaining to meeting the needs of Haiti’s population outside the capital of Port-au-Prince, telling CARICOM representatives, ”We would welcome the opportunity to present and discuss them with you.  Our brother nations of CARICOM have been of great support to us since the earthquake and we are grateful.”