The University of the West Indies, Mona is pleased to announce the promotion of Dr. Russell Pierre, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Child Health and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, to the rank of Professor, with effect from October 3, 2012.
 
Dr. Pierre holds the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree (1983), the Advanced Diploma in Child Health (DCH) (1986), the Doctor of Medicine (DM) degree in Paediatrics (1992) as well as a Masters degree in Public Health (2001) from The University of the West Indies, Mona. 
 
Russell Pierre has distinguished himself in the areas of research, publication, medical education and administration. He has made significant contributions in the area of Paediatric HIV/AIDS, and is recognised as a pioneer in the country, who has implemented optimal approaches to diagnosis, treatment and long term follow-up of children infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS. In conjunction with collaborators, he adopted a broad approach which included both medical and psychosocial aspects of the infection and extended beyond the doors of the clinic to consider the comprehensive needs of these children and their families.
 
As a paediatrician with special interest in HIV medicine and public health training, Professor Pierre and collaborators have established a record of substantive body of research in the area of Perinatal and Paediatric HIV/AIDS, focusing on the characterisation of paediatric HIV/AIDS in Jamaica, the efficacy of interventions to reduce morbidity, improve survival and quality of life of affected children and adolescents, and the impact of interventions to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Jamaica. 
 
The result has been the reduction of mother-to-child transmission of HIV from greater than 25% before 2002 to less than 5 % since 2007, and significant reduction in morbidity and mortality of paediatric HIV. This UWI-led initiative has been a seminal example of the University, Ministry of Health and international partner collaboration influencing public health not only in Jamaica, but the wider Caribbean Region and internationally by virtue of being an example of best practice. 
 
Much of this work has been documented in over 35 papers and 40 abstracts in local, regional and international journals including the West Indian Medical Journal, Paediatric Infectious Disease Journal, Annals of Tropical Paediatrics, Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, International Journal of Gynaecology & Obstetrics and the Pan American Journal of Public Health.  In addition, he has served as Temporary Advisor on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Technical Reference Group on Paediatric HIV Care and Treatment with responsibility for revising the treatment guidelines (WHO Antiretroviral Therapy for Infants and Children).
 
His work in the field of Infectious Diseases has been generally recognised as evidenced by his receipt of the Principal’s Research Award for Best Publication (2001); Most Outstanding Research Activity (2006 and 2009) and for the Project Attracting Most Research Funds in the Faculty of Medical Sciences (2010 and 2011). He was also recipient of a Fellowship under the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID), International HIV/AIDS Training Programme at the National Institutes of Health, and through the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population & Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland.
 
Russell Pierre has invested significant time and energy into his role as medical educator.  He has been involved in the training of medical students and postgraduate residents in general paediatrics, critical care and infectious diseases, and research. He assumed a leadership role in curriculum development and administration in the Department of Child & Adolescent Health (as overall coordinator of the Undergraduate Programme for Child Health) and the Faculty of Medical Sciences introducing innovative initiatives such as the development of Objective Structured Clinical Examination for the Child Health Clerkship and final MBBS examinations. Currently as the Undergraduate Medical Programme Director he has continued to promote innovation and excellence in course delivery and assessment with support of multimedia technologies.
 
Professor Pierre serves as Chairman (and Chief Examiner) of the Caribbean Association of Medical Councils Registration Examination Committee and in that capacity, re-structured, developed and implemented the Caribbean Association of Medical Councils Qualifying Examination in congruence with current medical education principles. Through the creative use of technology in teaching and assessment, he pioneered the implementation and administration of the first regional computer-based multiple choice examination to replace the written examination, now being administered at multiple sites including Antigua, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica,  St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago.
 
He is a Member of the International AIDS Society, International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care, the Paediatric Association of Jamaica, the Medical Association of Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago Medical Association; Member and Instructor of the Advanced Life Support Group (UK).