Saint Kitts and Nevis advances health workforce planning with rollout of centralised health workforce database

Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis, 14 August 2026 (PAHO/WHO) - Saint Kitts and Nevis has reached a significant milestone in strengthening health workforce planning with the start of data collection and entry into its newly developed Centralised Health Workforce Database (CHWD+).

A technical mission, which began on 10 August, is supporting the Ministry of Health in moving the CHWD+ from system development to operationalisation. The mission is being supported by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), with funding through the Pandemic Fund project for Eastern Caribbean Countries, which includes support to strengthen health workforce planning for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

Developed on the DHIS2 platform, the CHWD+ has been customised to reflect the health workforce structures, data sources and information needs of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Once populated, the system will provide more comprehensive and standardised information on the country's health workforce, supporting evidence-based planning and decision-making.

Saint Kitts and Nevis is the first participating country under the initiative to begin entering health workforce data into its customised CHWD+.

Speaking at the start of the mission, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Mr. Curtis Martin, highlighted the significance of the initiative, particularly given his championship of human resources for health strengthening.

"Today, we are looking at where we are and making sure that the solutions we put forward are solutions that are indeed ripe and ready for a better Saint Kitts and Nevis landscape," Mr. Martin said. "By strengthening data systems, Saint Kitts and Nevis reaffirms its commitment to building resilience, protecting public health and advancing its vision of a sustainable island state."

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hazel Laws, welcomed the progress being made through the Ministry's collaboration with PAHO.

"I am very happy that this is happening through the Ministry of Health's collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization, and that we are finally able to develop a comprehensive human resource for health database," Dr. Laws said. "Whatever you do in health requires human resources, and it all starts with knowing who you have and where they are placed."

Dr. Prabhjot Singh, Interim PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries, underscored the importance of reliable workforce information for strengthening health systems and emergency preparedness.

"Reliable health workforce information is particularly important for small island developing states, where limited human resources and gaps in timely, complete and standardised information can affect health planning and service delivery," Dr. Singh said. "The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the importance of knowing who makes up our health workforce, where they are located and how they can be effectively deployed. Through the CHWD+, Saint Kitts and Nevis will have stronger information to support workforce planning, informed decision-making and preparedness for future health emergencies."

Moving from system development to implementation

This technical assistance started several months ago with the development and customisation of the CHWD+. During a multistakeholder workshop held on 18-19 November 2025, participants reviewed the proposed data dictionary. This was followed by an in-country mission on 27-28 April 2026, during which variable names, drop-down lists and tooltips were reviewed and finalised and the data dictionary was updated.

During the current in-country mission, designated personnel received hands-on training to navigate and use the CHWD+, while the collection and entry of actual health workforce information will begin using available Ministry of Health personnel records and other agreed priority data sources.

The mission will also test how information can be collected and entered from different administrative units and health facilities across Saint Kitts and Nevis. This includes assessing access to data sources, user credentials, system navigation, internet connectivity, equipment configuration, data-entry workflows and arrangements for ongoing technical support.

Activities began at the Ministry of Health in Saint Kitts and will extend to the Joseph N. France General Hospital and selected health centres. A one-day visit to Nevis will assess operational readiness and help establish an appropriate approach for data collection on the island, including at the Ministry of Health offices, Alexandra Hospital and a selected health centre.

Through the CHWD+, Saint Kitts and Nevis is strengthening the information foundation needed to better understand its health workforce, identify gaps, support workforce planning and strengthen preparedness and resilience across the health system.

At the conclusion of the mission, the Ministry of Health and PAHO reviewed progress and agreed on responsibilities and a phased implementation plan for continuing data collection, data entry, data-quality review and technical support.