KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Geography Awareness Week will be observed November 9 to 18, with a focus on how geo-spatial technology can be used to promote good health.

“There has been a rise in viruses, such as Chikungunya and Zika, and therefore we want to look at how we can use geo-spatial technology to assist in reducing the transmission of these,” says Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in Schools Education Programme Manager at the National Spatial Data Management Division, Jumaine Remikie.

The week of activities, being coordinated by the division and the Land Information Council of Jamaica (LICJ), will be observed under the theme ‘Geospatial Technologies: Advancing Public Health Services’.

Remikie, who was speaking at a JIS Think Tank, said with the theme being focused on health, a number of medical professionals as well as medical societies would be participating in the events for the week.

Also speaking at the ‘Think Tank’ was GIS infrastructure manager at the division, Mark Codling.

Codling explained that spatial data include anything that can be located on the earth’s surface or can be mapped, adding that public health officials can use the data to determine “where a virus started, as well as what is the geographical impact or potential impact of the virus.”

The week’s activities will include a GIS Business Executive Forum on November 9; the 4th GIS Technical Seminar at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, on November 10; as well as a Church Service at Church on the Rock on November 13.

Highlight of the week will be the 14th annual National GIS Day, which will be observed on November 16, and will feature a GIS Day exposition at the UWI Assembly Hall.

“For the GIS expo we invite all high schools to be a part of this event, where we promote GIS and the applications. The students can also see the various GIS career options available to them after they graduate,” Remikie said.

The final event will be GIS Careers and IT exhibition, which will be held at the Convent of Mercy Academy (Alpha).

Partners for GIS week include the National Health Fund, Jamaica National Building Society, Business Access TV as well as Dolphin Cove.

The National Spatial Data Management Division and the LICJ are agencies under the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation.