Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 9, 2025 (PAHO/WHO) — The Information Systems and Digital Health Unit of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in coordination with the PAHO/WHO Office in Trinidad and Tobago and with financial support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, held the workshop “Building an Interagency Roadmap to Accelerate the Digital Transformation of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) in the English-Speaking Caribbean” on March 27–28.
The event brought together national authorities, international agencies, academia, and strategic partners, including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Ministry of Health of Trinidad and Tobago, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, the University of Oslo (DHIS2), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the CDC Foundation, the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), the International Federation of Health Information Management Associations (IFHIMA), the Inter-American Commission on Resilience in Educational Vital Environments (OAS/CLARIEV), the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), UNICEF, the University of the West Indies (UWI), Vital Strategies, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), among others.
Accelerating CRVS Digital Transformation:
With the participation of 13 regional and international partners, the workshop advanced the design of an interagency roadmap for the digital transformation of CRVS systems. This initiative reflects the region's commitment to modernizing vital information systems, in line with the Plan of Action for Strengthening Information Systems for Health (IS4H).
The event included technical working groups focused on mapping business processes related to births and deaths, identifying use cases and user profiles for digital CRVS, and analyzing strategies for regulatory review and the adoption of emerging technologies, including the implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11).
Additionally, the workshop promoted the articulation of technical cooperation with PAHO focal points from The Bahamas, the Eastern Caribbean Countries (ECC), Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, reinforcing regional synergies to advance the digital health agenda.
Advances Toward a Regional Roadmap for the Caribbean:
As a result of the workshop, participating partners reached a consensus to move forward with a regional and interagency roadmap that outlines priorities, resources, and technical synergies to modernize CRVS systems in the English-speaking Caribbean. The agreed next steps include:
- Documenting a regional report consolidating the workshop findings.
- Developing a regional roadmap that articulates technical cooperation among countries and partners.
- Strengthening coordination between Ministries of Health, Civil Registry Offices, and National Statistical Offices in each country.
- Defining a minimum set of core functionalities for digital CRVS systems.
These agreements will support the implementation of digital solutions that enhance the production of timely, complete, and reliable vital statistics across the region.
The Pan American Health Organization reiterates its commitment to supporting Caribbean countries in strengthening their information systems to improve health decision-making and contribute to the well-being of populations in the region.
