BVI health experts taking steps to track cancer rates
With mounting concerns over the high number of cancer cases in the community, National Epidemiologist Harmonie Massiah-Brewley has revealed that the territory is taking positive steps to improve the tracking and treatment of various cancers.
Speaking at the recent BVI Cancer Prevention Conference 2025, Dr. Massiah-Brewley said the BVI is one of the few Caribbean countries that has a cancer registry that compiles valuable data on cases of the disease in the territory.
However, she said local experts are currently working to bring the registry up to international standards, which includes developing an official platform to host the registry. They are hoping to launch this platform at the end of this year.
“Once we get the registry up and running, we will then go to work on policy development, because we want to strengthen our national care plans. Then we’ll implement our programmes and move on to research into patient care,” Dr Massiah-Brewley stated. “It’s not just about collecting information, it’s about changing lives.”
She also said local health experts are currently conducting studies to understand the lived experiences of cancer patients in the community.
Cancer cases continue to surge in the BVI with an estimated 53 cases recorded last year. Though many have survived, families continue to lose loved ones to deadly cancers every year.
Local health professionals have been urging the community to include more exercise and cut out processed foods to reduce their risks of developing various cancers. Recently, the territory’s Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ronald Georges, said society needs to place greater focus on farming so the public can have better access to fresh and nutritious foods.
Amid the call for lifestyle changes, Dr. Massiah-Brewley said cancer incidence in the BVI and the Caribbean is in line with global trends, with a steady climb in new cases every year and more males than females being diagnosed with cancers annually.
Copyright 2025 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Smoke from the incinerator and bottled water
you want to track cancer we all know cancer cells are in everyone however the food u eat contributes mostly and of course the consumption of sugar which feeds it directly.
If you want to be cancer free refrain from sugar for 2 weeks, get a soursop and eat it, refrain from eating processed unhealthy foods get back to eating from the land as u god intended.
let your food be your health and let your health be your wealth
Early this year there has been the quiet and alarming outcry regarding the carcinogenic makeup of synthetic hair used predominantly by Black women for braiding and wigs. Yep..not a peep heard in the appropriate places.
Google ” synthetic hair/ cancer” for the eye opening reality. I wouldn’t rule out the false eyelashes.
Yo you took my post exactly! Definitely the first thing I thought of was these wigs and BBL smells.
COVID-19 vaccine period…no more questions . That’s all the answer you need and everyone can see iy
Some will see this and balk at it. Others might decide to refrain from known cancer causing products.
https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/synthetic-braiding-hair-used-by-black-women-contain-dangerous-chemicals/
YOU GOT IT RIGHT / THEY ONLY YAPPING ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE / EVEN THE MEDICATIONS THAT YHE DOCTORS ARE PRESCRIBING ARD FULL OF SIDE EFFECTS THST IS CAUSING CERTAIN KINDS OF CANCERS SND WONDERFUL DOCTORS ISN’T TELLING THEIR PATIENTS OF WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE / ALL THEY DO IS CHANGE THE MEDICATIONS AND ACT LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED , SO WE ARE AT THE MERCY OF THE FOOD WE EAT / THE MEDICATIONS ETC A NEXT THING IS THE DRUGS THAT IS BEING MADE TO GET SCHOOL CHILDREN HOOKED ON COCAINE / ITS BEING MADE IN CANDIES – GUMMIES – DRINKS – IMPORTED MARIJANNA ETC SO SUPPRISED IF THERD IS AN OUT BREAK OF SCHOOL CHILDREN ( HOPEFULLY NOT / BUT THEY NEED SERIOUS MONITORING ( HAVE YOUR JKIDS CHECKED OUT TO SEE WHAT IS IN THEIR SYSTEM / DON’T SAY THAT ” I WASN’T AWARE ” BECAUSE ITS CHILD WHO’S GOING TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR NEGLIGENCE
makeup does cause cancer as well? QTNA
Her credentials to be the BVI Epidemiologist ?
What is yours?
Why don’t you call her and ask her? She’s trying to get this initiative that BVI has been trying to get done over the last TWENTY years done. And this is your response?
Pathetic.
Wewww you stink of jealousy and hate.
Instead of supporting her on this much needed initiative – you here pulling our own? NOT in here!.
Keep up the good work Ms.B! You did excellent work during the pandemic and you’ll do excellent work here too!
No woman need make up.
I have been here for over 30years and this was an initiative that Dr. Potter has been pushing for half of that, with no buy-in. I guess it wasn’t flashy enough for your politicians?
So I am very glad that this young lady is doing her best to help the BVI meet global standards for cancer prevention and monitoring, because to be frank, you all are behind the curve when it comes to health. (Everything really).
Also, these comments make it quite clear that many do not understand what a registry is for and it’s NEED. They may not fully reflect the public but it shows that more education is required.
Re: wew. That was an IGNORANT comment. Absolutely disgusting crabs in a barrel mentality. Go offer your services if you think you can do better.
Do not leave out the safe service in prevention from NIH ie no health insurance
You dont know what you dont know.
The COVID 19 VACCINE – ITS been proven/documented to cause Cancer and Turbo Cancers.