ICT and E-Governnace
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Disaster Preparedness & Response Systems
The main strategic areas to be addressed with regard to the use of ICT by CDEMA CU and Participating States going forward are as follows: (a) Developing an overarching policy on the role of ICT in Disaster Management in the region. Since that is already in motion, the focus would probably be on consolidating and refining what has been articulated so far, determining whether there are additional issues to be addressed, and ensuring a coherent strategy is articulated. This would address the following at a high level: (i) what is it we intend to achieve from use of ICT in DRR in the region (ii) how we intend to achieve it and (iii) who will lead it. read more here Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Programme (CARCIP)World Bank proposed ICT Infrastructure development programme for CARIFORUM Project Status:
planned
ICT Focus Areas:
Access / Connectivity
Capacity Building
eBusiness
Disaster Preparedness & Response Systems
eGovernment
ICT Infrastructure
Related Member States:
Regional CARIFOURUM
Keywords:
Infrastructure
Communications
CARIFORUM
Partners:
Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN)
Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO)
Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organizations (CANTO)
Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU)
International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
Design of Project:
The proposed program will have different elements depending on the priority areas for each of the participating countries, and will be tailored to each country’s needs. However, the interventions for each of the participating countries will be structured along the same set of strategic priorities and will be closely coordinated and jointly implemented to the extent possible, to ensure the regional spillover effects are maximized. The program is structured along three main components, as described below. A fourth cross-cutting institutional development and capacity building component will lend support to the regional institutional framework to implement and monitor the program: 1) Regional connectivity infrastructure, aimed at increasing access and affordability of broadband communications networks in the region and within countries; 2) ICT-led innovation, aimed at leveraging the regional broadband infrastructure to contribute to the development of the regional and national IT/IT-enabled services (ITES) industry; and 3) e-transformation, aimed at contributing to improved government and private sector efficiency and transparency by leveraging the regional broadband infrastructure towards the delivery of e-services, mobile applications and content, including e-government, e-commerce and e-society applications. Project Importance:
As a result of the program, it is expected that the whole Caribbean population would benefit, by having access to new communications services, sources of information and knowledge, enhanced and diversified employment opportunities, improved delivery of public and private sector services, increased productivity and transparency of government, and more rapid and coordinated response to emergencies. Overall, the region would see a boost to its competitiveness, social inclusion, economic diversification and regional integration efforts. Anticipated Outcomes:
Among the proposed objectives are to increase access and affordability of broadband communications networks within the region and countries; contribute to the development of the regional Information Technology (IT) industry; and contribute to improved government efficiency and transparency through the delivery of e-services, including e-government and e-society applications References:
http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2010/06/15/000262044_20100617103405/Rendered/PDF/Integrated0Saf10Sheet1Concept0Stage.pdf
http://www.caricom.org/jsp/pressreleases/pres458_10.jsp
Guyana's Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS)Policy Description:
Guyana has embarked on a Low Carbon Development Strategy which seeks to fashion a development path which includes the creation of "a low deforestation, low carbon, climate resilient economy" From the third version of the strategy The attached document is from the Guyana Chronicle of 04 July, 2010 and summarises the importance of ICTs to the realisation of this strategy. ICT Focus Areas:
Access / Connectivity
Capacity Building
Children & Youth
eCommerce
Disaster Preparedness & Response Systems
ICT Infrastructure
ICT and the Environment
Related Member State(s):
Guyana
Related Stakeholders:
Policy Status:
Adopted
Date of Policy:
2010
Open Curacao / Kòrsou Habrí
Year:
2002 ICT Focus Areas:
Free and Open Source Technologies
Access / Connectivity
Disaster Preparedness & Response Systems
Cultural & Linguistic Diversity
Children & Youth
Capacity Building
eLearning, ICT in Education
eGovernment
Local Content Development
Open Curacao / Kòrsou Habrí is a comprehensive blog related to the use of Open Source Software, Open Standards and Open Content. The blog is actively maintained by Ace Suares who has been a long time advocate for the use of Free and Open Source Software in Curacao and the Caribbean. T Strengthening Health Information Systems to Support Post Disaster Healthcare in HaitiThe goal of this work is to implement and evaluate practices that will support the improved delivery of health care in Haiti in both short‑term, emergency relief work and in long‑term rebuilding efforts. Project Status:
ongoing - active
ICT Focus Areas:
eHealth
Disaster Preparedness & Response Systems
Related Member States:
Haiti
Background:
The occurrence of a natural disaster may seem to carry repercussions that are indiscriminate in nature; however, it is the most vulnerable populations that suffer most during such events, as well as during the days, months and years that follow. In Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, the absence or poor quality of infrastructure and social services, such as health care, were aggravated by the major earthquake that struck on January 12, 2010. The existing fragile health care system was crippled by the initial earthquake and the subsequent aftershocks. This occurred at a time when emergency and primary health care services were most needed to respond to acute injuries and other health concerns. Keywords:
healthcare
information system
haiti
Design of Project:
The Development Goals: The purpose of this research project is two‑fold. First, it will provide support to existing organizations implementing health information systems applications that are interoperable (i.e. are developed using open standards and architectures that allow for sharing of health data across systems); and second, it will conduct operational‑research and evaluation activities to inform how future post‑disaster health responses can be better coordinated and delivered. This project is led by organizations with established histories working in Haiti alongside the Ministry of Health and scores of Haitian health care workers and administration staff. The project will also be examining supply chain management and patient records and tracking. There is a strong and urgent need for enhanced in‑country supply chain management in post‑disaster areas, especially with large shipments of drugs and other supplies coming into the country from all corners of the world. It also facilitates the efficient tracking of patient information especially where patient migration and movement render difficulties with follow‑up and continuity of care. Project Importance:
Electronic medical records (EMR) systems can be used to track patient care, manage supply of drugs and medical materials, conduct disease surveillance, and support other forms of health information collection, storage, analysis, transmission and use. In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, these functions within the health system were critical to ensure people in need receive appropriate and timely health care essential for public health and individual well‑being. Past experiences from disaster response initiatives illustrate the importance of coordinating efforts to address immediate health needs, such as emergency medical care, water and food provision as well as addressing longer‑term health concerns. Anticipated Outcomes:
As project implementation unfolds, the following outcomes are expected: 1) Improved availability of clinical data on patient diagnoses, medication given, surgical procedures, and outcomes. 2) Improved ability to report on clinical care and disease burden at local, district and national level. 3) Improved patient tracking through the use of open standards for sharing clinical summaries. 4) Strengthened evidence base to inform management, forecasting and ordering of medication and improved health for individuals benefiting from enhanced supply chain management. 5) Better tools for medical data management and better understanding of their use in disaster and post disaster situations. 6) Increased dialogue between national, regional and international organizations and actors working in post‑disaster health response.
In addition, the project aims to produce the following three outputs: 1) Interoperable software that fulfils the requirements stated in the objectives and is implemented in sites across the PIH network, and at sites supported by I‑TECH, in Haiti. This will lead to the ability for sites to easily capture data on clinical care in a variety of environments including mobile clinics. 2) Interoperability profiles for the selected health information system processes. 3) A report capturing learning from this experience in collaborative EMR work in a post‑disaster situation. References:
http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-155008-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html
Enhancing the Effectiveness of ICT Applications and Tools for Disaster Management in the CaribbeanThe ultimate aim is to complete a set of policy recommendations in the form of a strategic paper with a view to enhancing regional strategies to respond to natural hazards using ICTs. Project Status:
completed
ICT Focus Areas:
Disaster Preparedness & Response Systems
ICT Infrastructure
Legal / Regulatory
Related Member States:
Barbados
Saint Lucia
Trinidad and Tobago
Background:
Between August and November 2005, nine hurricanes ravaged the Caribbean, killing at least 2000 people and incurring an estimated US $60 billion in damages. Haiti was the worst affected. The International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) noted that countries like Cuba, Dominican Republic and Jamaica suffered fewer casualties because of better knowledge about disaster management and the use of ICTs for early warning. The role of these tools in disaster management was initiated at the regional level in the Pan Caribbean Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Project (PCDPPP) during the 1980s with the provision of inter alia high frequency (HF) radios to strengthen telecommunications links between its 16 member states in the event of hazard impact. Since then, a plethora of ICT options have appeared, including geographic information systems (GIS) for hazard mapping and modeling, use of web-based data sources to facilitate research on disaster management and searchable databases for hazard information. Keywords:
disaster
hazards
Partners:
National Disaster Organizations of CDERA Participating States
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA)
University of the West Indies (Seismic Research Unit and Disaster Risk Reduction Centre)
Design of Project:
This project aims to identify and test innovative information and communication technology (ICT) applications that could enhance the effectiveness of disaster management in the Caribbean, including early warning systems and post-crisis collection. Activities include the testing of ICT applications and research in three island states (St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados) in order to provide policy recommendations in the form of a strategic paper with a view to enhance the design of regional strategies to respond to natural hazards using ICT's. Research will be conducted to ascertain the ICT capacity of CDERA Participating States utilizing a number of methodologies and approaches. Based on the findings, Pilot States will be selected for training and testing of applications and tools recommended. Collaborating partners will include research institutions such as the Disaster Risk Reduction Centre and the Seismic Research Unit of the University of the West Indies. Project Importance:
Information and communication technologies have always been recognized as an important dimension in disaster management in the Caribbean. Initially much of its use was centered on emergency communications technology. However, the rapid evolvement of information technologies and tools and the immediacy of information this has afforded has revealed the importance of ICT in providing a seamless link across the phases of the disaster cycle: preparedness, mitigation, relief, response and reconstruction. Anticipated Outcomes:
Specifically the project will:
Risk Assessment:
The application of ICT tools such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and web data sources have improved prospects for the rapid acquisition of information on the impact of hazards at the community level. Unfortunately, the acquisition of such data remains a significant challenge in the region and not all Caribbean institutions involved in disaster management have been able to utilize these opportunities. The technologies are available but the challenge has been cost, reliability, latency and lack of research on the application and effectives of the alternative options available. References:
http://www.cdera.org/projects/idrc/pdf/IDRC_Proposal.pdf
Website:
http://www.cdera.org/projects/idrc/
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