Plans underway to establish BVI Cancer Registry
Plans are progressing to establish the territory’s first cancer registry, a move that local health officials say will help improve data collection, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease.
The update came during the Talking Points programme on ZBVI Radio, where General Practitioner Dr Sharlon Lewis emphasised the importance of building an evidence-based understanding of cancer trends in the Virgin Islands.
“Evidence makes such a better argument than just pulling things out of the sky and out of the air,” Dr Lewis stated. “So it really is important for persons to come forward even if they’ve never gone to the doctor here. Having a registry here would give them the opportunity to share their information so that we can have better statistics for the island and be able to plan and do better for the community”.
President of the BVI Cancer Society Gloria Fahie, said the registry could be a milestone for the Virgin Islands and confirmed that groundwork is already underway.
“I want to think it would be the first cancer registry in the territory. I’m not sure. I’m kind of leaning that it might be if we get through, and I think Harmonie is doing a great job and she’s interviewing a lot of persons, so I’m happy about that,” she explained.
Fahie also highlighted the Society’s push for wider genetic testing, which was introduced during the recent cancer conference. She said the testing had helped residents understand their predisposition to certain cancers and called for swift action to expand the programme.
“Actually, Dr Weldon called me the other day and I think she got approval to do about 2,800 more persons in the BVI,” Fahie said. “I’m waiting on it. I’m also waiting on the minister — minister, I’m waiting on you — and we need to do something right away with that genetic testing”.
Talking Points host Damion Grange commended the effort, saying the testing had already encouraged people to take greater control of their health. “A number of persons in the community now have a greater appreciation of the illness that they are predisposed to simply because of that genetic testing,” he said.
Health advocates have long urged the creation of a cancer registry to enable better planning and monitoring of cases in the territory. Once operational, the registry is expected to provide critical data on cancer incidence and mortality, supporting early detection, treatment, and public health research.
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..no sex offenders registry. The raper boys just walking the street like everything safe.
That is people private Buisness. If you want stats ask the medical practioners for info without giving names. What we need is an Aids and sexually Transmitted disease registry and one for sex offenders.
We definitely need registries for the 2 points you mentioned BUT a cancer registry wont hurt or impede them. So lets have allll 3. My personal view is that all single use bottles water bottles should be banned. They are bad for the environment and the water is contaminated with plastic which we are introducing to our children and then when the bottles are burnt we are inhaling them and are literally poisoning ourselves twice. People love to talk about the covid vaccine but one of the most unhealthy things we do now is ingesting bottled water from parts unknown that are filled with toxins.
Check those bottled waters carefully
stop promoting the drugs in the hospital playing with peoples lives yall know they only there for profits how many lives yall want hook on the same medication for years claiming yall helping .
if you really want to help start promoting good health care
Excellent idea! Without data, we can’t know what’s going on.
Who do I contact or where do I sign in?