The 5th Health Research Days of the University Hospital of Guadeloupe

• Post by: Dr Marie-Dominique HARDY-DESSOURCES
• 19 December 2022
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The 5th Health Research Days of the University Hospital of Guadeloupe, which took place on 2 and 3 December 2022, brought together all the stakeholders concerned (hospital doctors and nurses, primary care stakeholders, researchers from the Public Scientific and Technological Establishment (EPST), industrialists and financiers). The main aim of these days was to bring together these players with the following major objectives:

• better communication on the scientific advances linked to the health problems of our regions (sickle cell disease, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, emerging diseases)
• the creation of more synergies between disciplines and between teams to encourage the implementation of cross-disciplinary projects
• the development of collaboration between the local teams (University Hospital, University, Pasteur Institute, Inserm, …) but also collaboration with national and Caribbean teams.

In the context of the development of Caribbean cooperation, the CAREST network, which is already well established, appears to be a model that can be applied to other health issues shared in the Caribbean.

A round table was specifically dedicated to the theme “Collaborative Research in the Caribbean: context and perspectives. During this round table, brilliantly moderated by Ms. Jessica Toumson, Regional Cooperation Officer (ARS Martinique), the following interventions were addressed:

• Work on sickle cell disease in the Caribbean via the CAREST network, contribution of the INTERREG CARES project

Dr Marie-Dominique HARDY-DESSOURCES, PhD, President of CAREST

• HIV genotyping in the Eastern Caribbean: the contribution of the INTERREG CARES project

Dr Georges dos Santos, MSc, PhD, Virology Department WHO Regional Reference Laboratory HIV/ HIVDR genotyping

• Public Health research in the Caribbean: overview of subjects being investigated and some funding modalities. CARPHA’s RAC role in research uptake on a regional level

Pr. Marvin Reid, Deputy Dean for research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona. Member CARPHA Research Advisory committee

• The CARES project, an experiment in regional cooperation in health: the place of research in a global initiative

Gilles Raguel, International Cooperation Officer ARS Guadeloupe, Interreg CARES Coordinator.

In his presentation, Professor Reid, as representative of the Caribbean Health Public Agency (CARPHA), outlined the role of the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) of CARPHA which are

• Advise the CARPHA Director on matters relating to promotion, support, and facilitation health research in the Caribbean
• Advise the CARPHA Director on the Dissemination of Research findings
• Coordinate the Technical Planning of the Annual CARPHA Research Conference.

Prof Reid also described the research ecosystem across the Caribbean highlighting the regulatory framework and opportunities for research capacity building including training initiatives and conferences. He also described broad sources of funding for research in the Caribbean such as development banks, NGO’s and Research funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, USA.

It was a great pleasure to have the participation of Prof. Marvin Reid, a CAREST member who actively participated in the creation of CAREST and took on the role of Vice President of the first CAREST Board of Directors (2012 – 2015).