UVI-St. Croix Host Health Disparities Conference
The University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix Campus was the site for the National Health Disparities Conference for minority and rural populations. Partnering with members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and with the Medical University of South Carolina, this conference was geared specifically toward medical professionals working in underprivileged communities.
Many of the issues dealt with over the three-day conference were brought back and incorporated into Congress’ health legislation when it reconvened in January. Nearly a dozen members from the CBC along with other health professionals from Congress, the National Institute of Health (NIH), the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and other universities were in attendance.
Dr. Gloria Callwood, MFP Alumna and Director of the Caribbean Exploratory Research Center, provided funding for this conference from grants from the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparity through the NIH. The $6.1 million grant in its second year, is stretched out over six years. The CBC also assisted with funding the conference.
More than 200 people participated. The information gained from this conference is vital for countless people of color, including those residing in the Caribbean territory, who bear the greatest burden of disease and health disparities.