BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Public health professionals from five countries are now able to use timeliness performance metrics to improve the way the Caribbean region detects and responds to public health threats.
With funding from the Pandemic Fund, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) conducted a three-day workshop, in which attendees were trained to use the Early Action Review (EAR) methodology. EAR incorporates timeliness metrics, also known as “7-1-7”, to review early-warning and response systems during outbreaks.
Through a “bottleneck analysis” approach, EAR is also able to identify and address delays by generating clear, concise and priority activities that could immediately change a response in real-time or provide long-term systems improvement. Globally, the EAR 7-1-7 methodology seeks to detect health threats within 7 days, notify public health authorities within 1 day, and initiate an effective response within seven days.
Dr Lisa Indar, CARPHA ad interim executive director, explained that the agency will now build upon this framework by applying the 7-1-7 principles to develop Caribbean-specific training, based on the region’s unique characteristics.
“An outbreak of infectious diseases such as norovirus or measles in our small island developing states, dependent on tourism, and with porous interconnected borders and varying surveillance and response capacities, may require tailoring 7-1-7 principles, whereby we expect detection to take as short as one day or less to avoid spread and reputational damage,” Dr Indar added. “This will also foster collaboration, enhance resilience, safeguard communities and ensure a proactive approach to regional health security.”
Dr Tamara Mancero, PAHO advisor for international health regulation and health emergency, highlighted the significance of integrating performance metrics into national systems:
“These performance indicators reviewed during this training of EAR shall improve the quality and opportunity for decision-making and will contribute to the implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) core capacities in the Caribbean.”
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and CARPHA employees benefitted from the Early Action Review (EAR) 7-1-7 training in Barbados. The Workshop plays an important role in the achievement of CARPHA’s mission to enhance public health resilience in the Caribbean. It also aligns with the Pandemic Fund Project’s goals of bolstering surveillance systems and workforce preparedness for pandemic preparedness and response.