OAS Digitalizes And Catalogues 2.5 Million Vital Statistics Records In Six Eastern Caribbean Countries

TECH NEWS – The Organization of American States (OAS), through its Universal Civil Identity Program in the Americas (PUICA), has completed a project to assist the civil registries in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines to digitalize vital statistical information.

PUICA initiated its Eastern Caribbean modernization project three years ago to scan vital statistic certificates and input this information on searchable databases. During the implementation of the project some 2.5 million records of vital statistics were digitalized and catalogued.

Electronic databases of birth, death, marriage and divorces offer increased efficiency and lower costs. Vital statistics information, produced by the civil registries and virtually stored, can help provide social services to those who are entitled to it. It can increase the efficiency of land titling and help provide for cleaner voter rolls.

During the project, PUICA purchased equipment, developed software and trained data entry clerks to scan and input information from books containing birth, death, marriage, adoption and legitimization certificates. The governments of Canada, Luxembourg and South Korea made contributions that allowed for the completion of the project.  More