The Lancet Regional Health. Americas (Oct 2023)
Developing a partnership to improve health care delivery to children <18 years with cancer and blood disorders in the English-speaking Caribbean: lessons from the SickKids-Caribbean Initiative (SCI)
- Michelle Reece-Mills,
- Curt Bodkyn,
- Jo-Anna B. Baxter,
- Upton Allen,
- Cheryl Alexis,
- Chantelle Browne-Farmer,
- Jenna Craig,
- Stephanie de Young,
- Avram Denburg,
- Kevon Dindial,
- Bonnie Fleming-Carroll,
- Tracey Gibson,
- Sumit Gupta,
- Jennifer Knight-Madden,
- Margaret Manley-Kucey,
- Sharon Mclean-Salmon,
- Oscar Noel Ocho,
- Kadine Orrigio,
- Stanley Read,
- Corrine Sin Quee,
- Brian Smith,
- Minerva Thame,
- Gilian Wharfe,
- James A. Whitlock,
- Stanley Zlotkin,
- Victor Blanchette
Affiliations
- Michelle Reece-Mills
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Child and Adolescent Health, The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
- Curt Bodkyn
- Department of Clinical Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
- Jo-Anna B. Baxter
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Upton Allen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Division of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Cheryl Alexis
- Haematology/Oncology Department, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Bridgetown, Barbados
- Chantelle Browne-Farmer
- Department of Paediatrics, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Bridgetown, Barbados
- Jenna Craig
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Stephanie de Young
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Avram Denburg
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Kevon Dindial
- Department of Paediatrics, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago
- Bonnie Fleming-Carroll
- Learning Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Tracey Gibson
- Department of Pathology, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica
- Sumit Gupta
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Jennifer Knight-Madden
- Sickle Cell Unit, Caribbean Institute for Health Research, The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
- Margaret Manley-Kucey
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Sharon Mclean-Salmon
- Hematology/Oncology Unit, Bustamante Hospital for Children, Kingston, Jamaica
- Oscar Noel Ocho
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, School of Nursing, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago; PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Development in the Caribbean, School of Nursing, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
- Kadine Orrigio
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Stanley Read
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Corrine Sin Quee
- School of Clinical Medicine and Research, The University of the West Indies, Nassau, The Bahamas
- Brian Smith
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Minerva Thame
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Child and Adolescent Health, The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
- Gilian Wharfe
- Department of Haematology/Oncology, The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
- James A. Whitlock
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Stanley Zlotkin
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Victor Blanchette
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Division of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Corresponding author. Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Journal volume & issue
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Vol. 26
p. 100592
Abstract
Summary: In 2013, the SickKids-Caribbean Initiative (SCI) was formalised among The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, the University of the West Indies, and Ministries of Health in six Caribbean countries (Barbados, The Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago). The aim was to improve the outcomes and quality of life of children (<18 years) with cancer and blood disorders in the partner countries. Core activities included filling a human resource gap by training paediatric haematologists/oncologists and specialised registered nurses; improving capacity to diagnose and treat diverse haematology/oncology cases; developing and maintaining paediatric oncology databases; creating ongoing advocacy activities with international agencies, decision makers, and civil society; and establishing an integrated administration, management, and funding structure. We describe core program components, successes, and challenges to inform others seeking to improve health service delivery in a multidisciplinary and complex partnership.
