By Trudy Simpson, Freelance WriterSHARING BEST practices between countries to effectively tackle issues such as adolescent reproductive health and violence reduction, are among the objectives of Dr. Ernest Pate, the new Pan-American Health Organi-sation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) representative to Jamaica, Bermuda and the Cayman islands.
Dr. Pate officially assumed his post on Saturday, following a handover ceremony. He replaces Dr. Manual Pena, who is now the PAHO representative in Lima, Peru.
Dr. Pate, a national of Belize, joined PAHO on a short-term basis in 1987 before being appointed adviser on maternal and child health at the sub-regional office in Barbados in 1993. He was later promoted to the post of regional adviser on reproductive health in Washington, D.C., after which he held several appointments, including co-ordinator of the Family Health and Population Programme and chief of the Women and Maternal Programme, a post he occupied until his appointment as Representative to Jamaica.
Dr. Pate said on Friday that Jamaican institutions such as the Ministry of Health and the University of the West Indies were doing or had conducted essential health research which led to results which could be applied to issues facing other countries.
"What I want is to work with the institutions so that health research can be put into practice not only to help Jamaica but other Caribbean countries," Dr. Pate said.
He also has as an objective, PAHO's provision of more technical expertise and experience to more local organisations with a view to 'scaling up' or expanding to other areas, practices outlined in research which, for example, have been identified as leading to less risky behaviour.
Regarding violence reduction, he said the island had good examples of steps to reduce violence but "we need to build on that."
His knowledge of Jamaica is no coincidence because although born in Belize, Dr. Pate, 53, is no stranger to the island. Dr. Pate has spent much of his professional and academic career in Jamaica and the Caribbean, with professional stints in England and the United States.
His attachment to the island started more than 30 years ago when he fell in love with Jamaica as an 18-year-old student at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in St. Andrew. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in marine zoology and chemistry in 1975 and also achieved a medical degree (1980), a diploma in child health (1981), and a Ph.D in paediatric medicine (1985) from the UWI.
Dr. Pate said the knowledge and first-hand experience gained in working with 19 countries, including Jamaica, via various global organisations, would serve him in good stead in his current post.
"Having had a broader global and Caribbean experience, I can use some of that knowledge on existing programmes and bring some of the positive experiences (to various areas). I saw what worked, what didn't work, what were the best practices and a number of positives. I have really gathered experience and know-how to put some of these ideas into practice," Dr. Pate said.
Dr. Pate plans to focus on strengthening local multi-sectoral and regional collaboration based on his view that partnerships and collaboration would ensure more effective use of limited resources. PAHO would respect the priorities set by local authorities but would endeavour to lend technical and other support where possible, he said.
Dr. Pate said he hoped to expand some services offered by his PAHO office.
