Promoting medical research in the Caribbean: 40 years' experience of the Commonwealth Medical Research Council - abstract

ABSTRACT

Twelve English-speaking, indpendent nations and six independent territories with a combined population of about 5.7 million comprise the Commonwealth Caribbean. Medical research in the region was stimulated when the University College of the West Indies and its Medical Faculty were established in 1948 in Jamaica, followed by research units for the study of human malnutrition, heart disease and sickle-cell disease. The Commonwealth Caribbean Medical Research Council was set up 40 years ago as the umbrella organization responsible for the promotion of medical research in the Caribbean, particularly by the award of small research grants, the organization of an annual scientific meeting and conduction of training workshops on research skills (AU)