Activities
WINDREF runs numerous projects in public health, including the impact of the Zika, Chikungunya, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses on pregnant women and their children, the control of vector-borne and neglected tropical diseases in schoolchildren, gender-based violence, all of which are designed to all strengthen the health and wellbeing of the peoples of the Caribbean.
We are a leader in climate change adaptation and mitigation, hosting a UN Climate Change Secretariat Regional Collaborating Center, a Global Water Partnership Regional office, a regional greenhouse gas measurement, reporting and verification hub, and a PAHO-led climate change and health center.
In addition, the organization is a regional leader in research ethics training, oversight, and policy advancement.
WINDREF ACTIVITIES
House Of Lords
Through its UK Board of Trustees, WINDREF hosts fundraising dinners at the House of Lords in the UK. The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, in which members are appointed as life peers by the monarch, on advice from the Prime Minister or the House of Lords Appointment Commission. The last Dinner was held on 22nd May 2014, the them of which was “Preventing Diabetes and Obesity”. All funds raised at the WINDREF House of Lords Dinner go directly to research and education programs on the ground in Grenada, such as the Sports for Health and Touch Toes test campaigns.
The House of Lords Dinner was also addressed by Grenada’s Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist from the London and Rio Olympic Games, Kirani James, who took time away from his preparations for the 2020 Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo, Japan. In his address, Kirani talked about his personal encounters with the problems of cardiovascular disease which had recently affected his mother’s closest friend and that he was delighted to have a role in the Baroness Howells Sports for Health Program as its Sporting Advocate. He noted that his last visit to the House was two years before the London Olympics and this current visit is two years before the next Summer Olympics in 2020 to be held in Tokyo, Japan.
The keynote speaker at the House of Lords Dinner was Professor Richard Horton. Professor Horton graduated in 1986 with a medical degree from the University of Birmingham. After a few years in clinical practice, he joined the Lancet in 1990 as its Assistant Editor and became the Journal’s Editor-in-Chief in 1995 – a position he has held now for almost a quarter of a century. Since 2001, Professor Horton has served as the Publisher and Editorial Director of The Lancet. During this time, he has also been a member or Chaired a number of important Committees in regional and international organizations and currently Chairs the WHO High-level Advisory group on Women, Children and Adolescents Health and Human Rights. He serves as Patron of Medsin. In recognition of his enormous contributions to the field of medicine, he has received many honorary awards, doctorates, professorships and fellowships from many Universities, international organizations and institutes from many different countries. A truly internationally recognized and respected figure in medical journalism. The Lancet, under Professor Horton’s leadership, has continued to shine an essential focus on many areas of medical issues including the impact of climate change. Such is the reputation of the journal that articles published in it are quickly picked up by news media around the world. Increasing the influence of the journal on informing and shaping opinions. The title of Professor Horton’s presentation was “Global Health in a Wounded World”. Professor Horton delivered a powerful speech on the threats to the survival of mankind and reminded us of previous civilizations who once thrived and then disappeared and that we should be ever mindful of these threats.
Professor David L. Heymann
Professor David L. Heymann receives the certificate and stole of the Gamma Kappa chapter of the Delta Omega Honor Society from two Honorary members: Dr. Charles R. Modica and Dr. Calum N. L. Macpherson
Professor David Heymann has had an exceptional career as a medical epidemiologist in the field of global health. David obtained his medical degree from Wake Forest University, and additional epidemiological training with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Dr. Heymann spent two years in India as a medical officer in the World Health Organization (WHO) Smallpox Eradication Program and then 13 years in South Africa working on assignment from the CDC in their supported activities aimed at strengthening capacity in surveillance of infectious diseases and their control, with special emphasis on the childhood immunizable diseases, haemorrhagic fevers, pox viruses and malaria. It was an exciting time and David along with Baron Peter Piot participated in the investigation of the first outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1976, as well as subsequent outbreaks. Since 1989 David held several directorships in the WHO working extensively on the polio eradication, SARS outbreak, HIV and became the assistant director general of WHO for Health Security and Environment. Was appointed Chairman of the Board of the UK Health Protection Agency in 2009. He remained Chairman of the Board when HPA was merged into Public Health England in 2013. In 2010 David joined the faculty at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology. For his contributions to public health he has received many awards including the CBE from the Queen in 2009. There are few people who have had the breadth of field experience and played such an important leadership roles in the field of global health and we were very grateful to David for attend the WINDREF House of Lords dinner to discuss “Global Health: Looking for the Future”. The WINDREF House of Lords dinner was attended by 120 distinguished guests and the third dinner hosted at the House by Baroness Howells. All funds raised will support the ongoing WINDREF Sports for Health program in Grenada.