MedCarib is a bibliographic database that brings together health science information from the Caribbean. It contains health information from the English-speaking Caribbean and Suriname. Initially, the database consisted of bibliographic data but has since moved towards including full-text publications.
The MedCarib database contributes to the Regional Network for Latin-America and the Caribbean (LILACS), the most important and comprehensive index of scientific and technical literature of Latin America and the Caribbean. Through this medium, MedCarib helps to increase visibility, access and the quality of health information in the Region.
MedCarib was funded by W.K. Kellogg in 1990 as a sub-regional network within the Latin American and Caribbean Health Information Systems by BIREME (Latin America and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information). BIREME is a specialized centre of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) located in Brazil.
The University of the West Indies, Mona Jamaica, Medical Library was the first Regional Coordinating Center of the network, with sixteen (16) countries participating. They were Antigua, Anguilla, Barbados, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Belize, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Today, The University of the West Indies Medical Sciences Library, St. Augustine Campus is the new Regional Coordinating Center for the network with Ms Ayaana Alleyne Cumberbatch as the sitting Regional Coordinator.
AIMS
1. To foster cooperation and resources sharing in the Region.
2. To support Health Care Projects and Programmes by providing current and comprehensive information.
3. To stimulate the development of library systems within the Region in data collection, retrieval and communication.
4. To promote the use of information technology within the Region.
OBJECTIVES
1. Provision of a database of Caribbean health literature by collecting, organizing and indexing data published in or about the Region.
2. Giving access to medical and health information.
3. Making medical and health information of the Caribbean discoverable.
The MedCarib Database is the result of the cooperative efforts of libraries in participating Caribbean countries, each responsible for the collection, data entry and indexing of selected health literature by or about the country.
The database comprises over 14,000 regional and international produced entries including theses, books, reports and conference proceedings from the 17th century to present.
Appropriate Technology
Dentistry
Drug Abuse
Environment
Environmental Health
Essential Drugs
Family Planning
Health Administration & Planning
Health Economics
Health Policies
Health Technology
Immunization
Mother and Child Care
Nursing
Nutrition and Food Production
Pharmacy
Population
Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases
Primary Health Care
Public Health
Sanitation
Substance Abuse
Traditional Medicine
Veterinary Medicine
Water Supply
Ongoing training is conducted regionally on the use of new methodologies and software programmes relating to the MedCarib database.
On June 28th 2018 following a MedCarib meeting held at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad became MedCarib's Regional Coordinating Centre.
Active participants of the MedCarib network are:
Barbados
Belize
Guyana
Jamaica
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Search the MedCarib Database via BIREME's Virtual Health Library Regional Library Portal - Information and Knowledge for Health by visiting:
https://bvsalud.org/en/
For more information on MedCarib send an email to:
Vhl.TTMail@sta.uwi.edu
4. To search the database use words of the title of the article, abstract, name of substances, name of people as subject, and subject descriptors.
5. You can search for articles in the following languages:
6. DO NOT USE BOOLEAN TERMS
7. Select the option “All words (AND)” in order to relate the words. [This] restricts the scope of the search. The option “Any word (OR)” in order to add the words. [This] expands the scope of the search.
