Caribbean to benefit from PAHO-Bloomberg partnership to improve birth and death data

Caribbean countries are set to benefit from a renewed partnership between the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Bloomberg Philanthropies aimed at strengthening civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems across the Americas.

In a recent statement, PAHO announced that the agreement will support countries and territories in the Caribbean “to improve the quality and availability of vital statistics to increase the proportion of accurately and completely registered births and deaths, and to modernise systems.”

The initiative builds on existing efforts under the global Data for Health (D4H) program, which helps countries improve the collection and use of data on births, deaths, and causes of death to inform public health policies.

PAHO noted that in many countries in the region, especially in the Caribbean, data on deaths remain incomplete or inaccurate. In some nations, fewer than half of all death certificates include a documented cause of death, and underreporting remains widespread, with over 20% of deaths going unrecorded in certain areas.

“This lack of reliable information limits governments’ ability to prioritise health needs and allocate resources effectively,” PAHO stated.

Under the renewed agreement, which runs through 2027, PAHO and Bloomberg Philanthropies will support Caribbean countries in assessing and enhancing their information systems, with a strong emphasis on CRVS improvements.

Key actions include evaluating national CRVS systems, recommending tailored reforms, and developing a regional training course to help countries adopt the latest version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) within their health data systems.