 The OECS Regional Health Project recently hosted a geographic information system GIS mapping training aimed at providing participants with knowledge on how to analyze and use GIS data to enhance decision making and response to emergencies. GIS consultant for the OECS Commission Trisha Melville spoke on the need to build the capacity of participants on GIS mapping as to ensure expanded use of the geographic information system GIS technologies. Well one of the main things is to ensure that the geohub that is part of the OECS Regional Health Project that persons are able to upload data, download data and analyze data so we could turn data into information for our health units. The training will start today of course with an introduction into GIS and then we will go into how do we utilize the geohub to ensure everyone has access to it and how do we use the tools that are available and these are geospatial tools available to analyze our information, to create maps, to create reports, to ensure that we're able to perform our duties accordingly. Melville also emphasized on how the use of the geohub and application of GIS tools are available for health surveillance and crisis mapping. The geohub is a part of the OECS Regional Health Project and it was launched to the member states so persons have access to upload their data and they can view data and there are different privileges in terms of accessing the site because we have to ensure that the data is safe and secure and persons may be able to view but of course our trainees are able to analyze the data and utilize the data to a higher level. Environmental Health Officer Glenda Etienne Seapal said she was pleased to be part of this learning exercise and expressed hope to incorporate the knowledge acquired on geohub and GIS mapping and monitoring in her day to day duties on the job. We're hoping that it can allow us to map and monitor trends in the among at risk populations and with being able to do that one of the things we expect to do is we'll be able to allocate resources better. Our decision making will be more informed and also so that we know what interventions that we can apply among those populations. The capacity building training in GIS mapping included the participation of Ministry of Health departments such as Environmental Health Division, Epidemiology Unit, Health Management Information Unit and Corporate Planning Unit. Reporting from the project implementation unit of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs, I am Phenal Neptune.