In the Community: SGU Faculty and Students Providing Crucial COVID Testing and Vaccinations in Grenada
As attempts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 continues, St. George’s University remains a trusted ally to the Government of Grenada, with several SGU faculty members and students stepping up to volunteer in the Government’s most recent initiative—hosting mobile testing and vaccination clinics throughout the island.
The team of SGU faculty volunteers was comprised of Drs. Nilo Alvarez Toledo, Sharmila Upadhya, Vivek Nuguri, Vajinder Singh, Kesava Mandalaneni, Karl Theodore, Subramanya Upadhya, Anthusia Hortance Pavion, Sheiban Shakeri, Edidiong Udoyen, Clayton Taylor, and Allister Rechea. They worked in close conjunction with the Ministry of Health’s team, including Drs. Carol McIntosh, Tyhiesia Donald, Nicole Forte, Nurse Audrey Lyons, and others, to reach out to the population in the countryside parishes of St. David, St. Patrick, St. Mark, St. John, and St. Andrew.
“As a physician, I know firsthand the importance of getting vaccinated,” said Dr. Vajinder Singh, deputy chair in the Department of Pathology at SGU. “With Grenada’s limited healthcare infrastructure and resources, I felt it was my duty to volunteer for the vaccination drive in the hopes that one day soon we can achieve ‘herd immunity.’ Our overall goal here is to reach the most remote parts of Grenada to spread awareness of the importance of getting vaccinated, and to test and vaccinate as many people as we can.”
“We are so proud of these initiatives and all of those who have been in the field to support our beloved host country with all-important testing and vaccinations,” said Dr. Charles Modica, chancellor of SGU. “The country and the citizens of Grenada have supported the University throughout our journey, every step of the way, and we’re glad to have people within our community who can lend a helping hand at this critical time.”
These mobile clinics are considered extremely beneficial in reaching the elderly and the most vulnerable on island, who by themselves would not have been able to go to the hospital or health centers to get vaccinated. The volunteers were able to administer hundreds of vaccines, provide education on the need to get vaccinated, and conduct testing for COVID-19.
“The country and the citizens of Grenada have supported the University throughout our journey, every step of the way, and we’re glad to have people within our community who can lend a helping hand at this critical time.”
“The need of the hour is to vaccinate as many people as possible against COVID-19,” stated Dr. Kesava Mandalaneni, assistant professor of neuroscience in the SOM. “As a proud Grenadian (at heart), and more importantly as a physician, I feel obligated to stand with my brothers and sisters in the healthcare fraternity, who are working tirelessly to contain the effects of COVID-19 in our communities.”
SGU Nursing Students Heed the Call to Volunteer
Also, eager to lend a helping hand were School of Arts and Sciences students in the SGU Nursing Program. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the future nurses have been volunteering at health centers across the country, providing Grenada’s healthcare professionals with much-needed assistance, a chance for a break, and camaraderie. As Grenada enters its second week of a two-week restriction of movements on weekends, the nursing students have also volunteered to work at pop-up testing and vaccination clinics in rural villages island wide.
“I choose to volunteer because I heard the call for help and I decided to answer it,” said Kayonna Jones, a second-year nursing student at SGU. “I also believe that volunteering will not only benefit me as a student in gaining hands-on experience working alongside other healthcare professionals in a pandemic, but also my hard work and commitment to educating, testing, and vaccinating will also help to ensure a safe environment for the Grenadian community.”
“The concepts of altruism and selflessness are synonymous with nursing,” said Dr. Jennifer Solomon, chair and director of the Department of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, SGU. “Many of our students have volunteered, working above and beyond to assist their colleagues, and local communities during the COVID 19 pandemic. Although students, they have the skills that are needed and, under supervision, can meaningfully contribute—giving support to their future colleagues on the front line. At SGU, we have a commitment to provide excellence in education, which in turn translates to excellence in care. I am so humbled and proud of our SGU nursing students.”
SGU and Grenada Partnership
As many countries, including Grenada grapple with the ramifications of the persistent coronavirus pandemic, St. George’s University has reaffirmed its commitment to its host country. From partnering with the Government of Grenada on managing donations to help combat COVID-19, to providing expert advice from its alumni on Grenada broadcast networks, SGU continues to be a loyal partner in helping to limit the spread of the virus.
In close collaboration with the Government, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF), a research and education foundation based at SGU, one of the first diagnostic testing facilities in the Caribbean and was established at the True Blue campus. SGU’s testing site has since become a beacon of excellence for the entire region, with its diagnostic team helping to design and set up the Ministry of Health’s testing site at Grenada General Hospital, including training of lab staff and troubleshooting with initial qPCR lab testing.
Additionally, responding to the need of the General Hospital, which had just two ventilators, designed to mechanically assist patients with breathing, for the entire population of more than 100,000 people—St. George’s University utilized its international resources to facilitate the acquisition and delivery of 18 additional ventilators.
SGU also secured tens of thousands of pieces of personal protection equipment, ranging from gloves and gowns to goggles and facemasks, for medical personnel as well as members of the community. In addition, the University was able to bring in 18 combination defibrillator monitors, two handheld ultrasound machines, two portable X-ray machines, as well as blood gas analyzers and supplies.
“The people of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique are extremely resilient,” added Dr. Mandalaneni. “They have overcome many challenges in the past and will do so once again. With the help from our SGU community, we will all do our part to overcome this challenge together, so that we advance and prosper as one people and one community.”
– Ray-Donna Peters
An educator, physician, and administrator during a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years, Dr. G. Richard Olds became president of St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies on August 28, 2015. Prior to joining SGU, he was the vice chancellor for Health Affairs and the founding dean of the School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). In 2010, Dr. G. Richard Olds joined UCR to lead the creation of a new school of medicine – the first LCME-accredited medical school in California in more than four decades.
Coming from Colombia, she received an MD degree from the Pontific Xaveriana University, a specialty degree in occupational health from El Bosque University, and a Master of Science (MSc) applied degree in occupational health sciences from McGill University in Canada. Holding several diplomas in social security, occupational epidemiology, distance education, and labor medicine and rehabilitation, she was awarded a policy research fellowship from the McGill University Institute of Health and Social Policy.
Dr. Joy St. John is dedicated and reliable, with a track record of achievements in public health systems management and development and health diplomacy. Her firm but fair style has assured her a place in networks of practise across the world.
Dr. Carlene Radix is the head of health and the head of the Human and Social Division at the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). The Human and Social Cluster encompasses health, education, social protection, and procurement of essential medicines and medical supplies for the region. As head of health, she provides strategic oversight of the OECS Health Agenda in keeping with the Fort de France Declaration on Health.
Ahmad Firas Khalid is a medical doctor, a health policy researcher, and a lecturer on health systems and policy. He completed his Ph.D. in health policy at McMaster University with a focus on supporting the use of research evidence to inform decision-making in crisis zones. Previously, Dr. Khalid worked as a health policy researcher at the Research Unit on Humanitarian Stakes and Practices (UREPH) at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Geneva, Switzerland. He also worked in the Department of Child and Maternal Health at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Khalid has expertise in medicine, education, health policy, knowledge translation, and health emergencies working with relief and intergovernmental organizations.
Dr. Shanti Singh-Anthony worked with the Guyana Health Care system for 20 years. As a medical doctor, she delivered clinical management to patients at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation–Guyana’s only tertiary hospital and provided primary health care services in rural communities along Guyana’s coastland. After completing her studies in public health in 2004, she took up leadership positions at the national level. She served as the director of the National Tuberculosis Control Program and program manager for the National Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis in Guyana.
Dr. Butler is an associate professor in the Department of Pathobiology at St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies. After graduating from SGU in 2005, Dr. Butler entered small animal practice for two years and then completed a PhD in comparative pathology at UC-Davis. He is currently teaching pathology in the DVM curriculum at SGU and serving as a mentor to graduate students. In addition to teaching, Dr. Butler is the director of the diagnostic anatomic pathology service and participates in collaborative research.
Laurie Moïse Sears is the director of Community Health Integration at ONE Neighborhood Builders in Providence, Rhode Island. Her primary focus is expanding the impact of the Central Providence Health Equity Zone and other community-building efforts aimed at eliminating barriers set by social determinants of health.
Professor Rozena Maart was born in Cape Town, South Africa. At 24, she was nominated for the Woman of the Year award in South Africa for her work in the area of gender-based violence and for co-founding the first Black feminist organization in South Africa: Women Against Repression [W.A.R.]. Prof. Maart completed her undergraduate education at the University of the Western Cape, her master’s degree at the University of York in the UK, and her Ph.D. at the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at the University of Birmingham, UK. Her work examines the intersections among political philosophy, Black consciousness, Derridean deconstruction, and psychoanalysis, all of which address questions of race, gender, and identity.
Dr. Chris Oura is currently a professor in veterinary virology in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of the West Indies (UWI). He is a qualified veterinary surgeon, has a Ph.D. in viral immunopathology, and has many years of research experience working predominantly on vector-borne viral and protozoal diseases. Dr. Oura has worked in many countries around the world including Mexico, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
An environmental research scientist (PhD École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris, France), Dr Spadaro specializes in software development for integrated health and economic impact assessment models. His work contributes to research use and policy analysis for the World Health Organization (WHO) offices in Europe as well as the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Previously, he worked at Princeton University, NJ, Argonne National Labs, Chicago, ILand various research centers in Europe for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where he carried out basic research on energy analysis, pollutant transport modeling and assessments on health risks, heatwave mortality and carbon emissions and interventions.
Dr. Jonathan Drewry is a regional climate change and health advisor with the Pan American Health Organization, based in Barbados. Dr Drewry provides technical cooperation to address the environmental determinants of health and supports the implementation of the EU/CARIFORUM Project to strengthen climate-resilient health systems in the Caribbean.
Advisor on Climate Change and Health of the Pan American Health Organization – Regional office of the World Health Organization – based in Washington DC. Dr Buss coordinates PAHO’s technical cooperation to 35 countries and 18 territories of the Americas on topics related to climate change, green spaces, biodiversity, public health and environmental health.
Dr. E. Francis Martin has worked as an emergency medicine physician at the General Hospital in Grenada for 10 years. He is a graduate of St. George’s University, School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies, and also holds a master’s degree in health policy and management. He is the current permanent secretary and former chief medical officer of the Ministry of Health, Grenada. Dr. Martin was the past president of the Junior Doctors Association, the Grenada Medical Association, and the SGU School of Medicine Alumni Association – Grenada Chapter. He is also a guest lecturer at the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at SGU and the T.A. Marryshow Community College.
Dr. Calum Macpherson completed his PhD at Imperial College, London, joined the African Medical Research and Education Foundation (AMREF) in Nairobi, and then moved to the Swiss Tropical Institute in Tanzania. He then spent a year at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, before moving to Trinidad to serve as professor of veterinary parasitology at the University of the West Indies.