PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – The Caribbean may soon see a new cadre of leaders emerge in the field of health. This is the promise of the Caribbean Health Leadership Institute (CHLI), a subsidiary of The University of the West Indies (UWI).
CHLI is expected to enhance the skills and effectiveness of Caribbean leaders in the Caribbean health sector, including persons leading HIV/AIDS programs. On Friday 6th March, 2009, the Institute graduated its first cohort in a videoconference ceremony broadcast simultaneously throughout the Caribbean.
The CHLI graduation took place in five synchronised ceremonies at the School of Clinical Medicine and Research (Bahamas), as well as UWI Campuses in Mona (Jamaica) and Cave Hill (Barbados), the UWI Open Campus and the UWI telehealth facility in the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope. CHLI (pronounced ch-lee) is expected to interface with postgraduate academic leadership programmes at UWI.
“Much is expected of you, because the Health Services sector is always in need of high quality leadership,” said Prof Clement Sankat, UWI Pro Vice Chancellor and Campus Principal, addressing the small graduating group at the Trinidad location of the ceremony.
The Institute is the result of collaboration between UWI and the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Its focus is not academic qualification, but personal learning and acquistion of wisdom that can be applied to workplace settings. CHLI is specifically geared toward established and emerging leaders from all areas of the health sector from all over the Caribbean, with an initial emphasis on high level leaders and managers. Programme coordinators are especially interested in attracting persons directly involved in the leadership of national HIV programmes as well as from persons who oversee these programmes and who determine policies and priorities in health care.
The ultimate aim of the Institute is to raise up a cadre of leaders who will, in turn, contribute to the improvement of national and regional health systems. UWI Vice Chancellor, Prof E Nigel Harris, told the entire graduating class that he hoped that they would begin to work together to address issues of health and to create best practices that will serve our region well.
“I hope that some of you go on to become teachers and pass on what you have learned in this programme. I am very hopeful that others like you will be able to come forward and provide the leadership that is necessary to transform health care in our region,” said Prof. Harris.
The emphasis on regional, rather than purely national, development was highlighted by the deliberate use of videoconferencing technology to bring the entire class together for a truly Caribbean event. University Registrar Mr C William Iton noted that this was, as far as he knew, “the first time that videoconferencing technology was being used in a UWI graduation ceremony.”
“We simply did not have the resources to bring everyone together,” said Professor Brendan Bain, CHLI Project Director, explaining that the application of technology was deliberate, and in keeping with the overarching aim to bring about change on the regional level.
