Montevideo, May 3 2023. Trinidad and Tobago has the first Health Information System to record cases of gender-based violence and sexual violence, SIP-VAW (Violence Against Women), based on the Perinatal Information System (PIS) Plus.
On 2 May, the first training workshop for health personnel on the use of the clinical history in SIP Plus was held for personnel from the five health regions of the country.
The opening of the event was attended by authorities from the Ministry of Health of Trinidad and Tobago; authorities from the Ministry of Digital Transformation; representatives of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); the representative of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Erica Wheeler; the focal point of the Spotlight Initiative project in PAHO, Dr. Caroline Allen; the director of the Latin American Centre for Perinatology - Women's and Reproductive Health (CLAP/WR), Dr. Suzanne Serruya, among other authorities and technicians involved.
Dr Wheeler expressed that this milestone is a source of pride for the country and referred to data from the 2018 National Women's Health Survey, which showed that one in three women had been subjected to intimate partner violence in their lifetime, and one in five had been subjected to sexual violence. "This violence has devastating consequences for women and their families and society as a whole, including mental and physical health and enormous economic burdens. It is critical to provide quality services to reduce the impact on the lives of survivors," she said.
The National Women's Health Survey also found that, after family and friends, health care providers are the most common people to turn to for help. With high-quality care, the health sector can play a critical role, not only in healing and recovery, but also in helping women understand the range of options and services that can help keep them safe," Wheeler said.
For her part, CLAP/WR director Suzanne Serruya said it was a "historic moment". "We are facing an epidemic increase in gender-based violence and the work we are doing here today is very important as an example of the need to understand the evidence of data on gender-based violence and violence against women and transform it to protect these women," she said.
CLAP/WR is already working to replicate this experience in other countries in the region.
It is worth remembering that this SIP Plus Clinical Record is one of the tools that emerged from the partnership between PAHO and the Spotlight Initiative to strengthen the response of health systems to violence against women and girls. On 8 March, the launch of the National Clinical and Policy Guidelines on Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence in Trinidad and Tobago was held, which integrate, among other things, the SIP-VAW form, which will allow the country to implement and monitor the impact of the lines of care outlined by the Ministry of Health.
