Statement from the Vice-Chancellor on Monkeypox (Mpox)

Statement from the Vice-Chancellor on Monkeypox (Mpox)

University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters, Jamaica WI Monday, August 19, 2024 —Vice-Principal University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Sir Hilary Beckles issued the following statement.

The University of the West Indies (UWI) notes the declaration of MPOX as a Health Emergency of International Concern (HEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 14 August 2024. As a leading Caribbean university, the UWI is committed to using its extensive research expertise for the public good, working with regional partners to address this challenge. The UWI acquired cutting-edge viral sequencing technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, which can now be redeployed on MPOX to provide a powerful early detection mechanism. We currently have the capacity in our laboratories to rapidly and accurately diagnose MPOX and will work closely with the regional Ministry of Health, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to respond to any viral incursions in the region.

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About the University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies has been a key force in all aspects of development in the Caribbean and has been at the heart of all efforts to improve the well-being of the people of the region for 75 years.

UWI began as University College London in Jamaica in 1948 with 33 medical students. Today, UWI is a global university of international renown with nearly 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona from Jamaica, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Mountain in Barbados, The five islands of Antigua and Barbuda and Global Campusand A global center established in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

The University of the West Indies offers more than 1,000 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and graduate degree options exist Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it has access to the largest pool of intellectual and professional knowledge in the Caribbean, working to address critical issues in our region and around the world.

The University of the West Indies is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in the world by the most reputable ranking agencies. Times Higher Education (THE). Since UWI first appeared in the Times Higher Education rankings in 2018, it has performed well across a number of categories, including the World University Rankings, the Golden Age University Rankings (50 to 80 years old), the Latin America Rankings and the Impact Rankings, which are notable for their response to the world’s greatest concerns, as outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including good health and well-being, gender equality and climate action.

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