A two-member team from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, visited Anguilla earlier this month as part of an initiative in the Eastern Caribbean.

Dr. Yamila Vargas and Dr. Gail Pheterson said the Caribbean Initiative was focusing on the identification of common concerns about stigma and taboo attached to abortion, emergency contraception, unmet contraceptive needs, sex education, the need for updated information and statistics, counselling services , the health needs of specific groups and discriminatory access to health care due to economic and political barriers.

They noted that over the years, patients from Anguilla and other Eastern Caribbean islands have been visiting Puerto Rico for health services thus giving rise to the initiative now being undertaken. The University of Puerto Rico is hoping that within the next year strategies would be developed for various forms of cooperation. These include the dissemination of educational materials, training activities for health officials, forums for ongoing communication, service referral possibilities between islands and other types of exchanges.
While in Anguilla the visiting team met with reproductive health providers including physicians, nurses and family planning workers, women groups and government and NGO officials. They also participated in a forum on abortion and other issues. The panelists included Dr. Bonnie Richardson-Lake, Primary Health Care Manager, Dr. Patwin Adams, Dr. Doreen Hodge (representing the church) and Dr. Linda Banks. The forum was moderated by Lana Hoyoung, Principal Assistant Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office responsible for Human Rights and Gender Affairs.

Mrs. Hoyoung, who coordinated the visit, said the panelists saw the initiative of the University of Puerto Rico as a good one and that there was a need for more public awareness and communication. “There is a need to reach the grass-root people because often times we are speaking to the converted and not to those who are at risk,” she added.

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