Nat’l Information System for Health Policy coming to BVI

The British Virgin Islands is gearing up to implement its first-ever National Information System for Health (IS4H) policy.

The IS4H – reportedly the first in the region – is part of the improved Pan American Health Organisation’s (PAHO) framework.

Under the IS4H policy, authorities hope the combination of health and social services systems will better facilitate human development and the quality of life for residents of the territory.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Development, Petrona Davies said there are several benefits to the new policy.

“We are all keen to mobilise knowledge, to improve efficiency, lower costs, facilitate communication and to provide evidence for policy and programme decisions with the ultimate goal of supporting better health outcomes for the people that we serve.”

Davies believes the IS4H policy will help the British Virgin Islands achieve those goals.

A three-day workshop on the policy was recently held and facilitated by of PAHO’s Dr Marcelo D’Agostino, Myrna Marti, and Dr Jose Francisco Salm, Jr for stakeholders in local private and public sectors.

Knowledge management, public health in e-Government, and the IS4H maturity model were some of the topics covered at the workshop.

Commenting on IS4H, Chief Medical Officer Dr Irad Potter said the interest in developing knowledge management is to promote understanding and opportunities for all partners involved in the health sector.