The Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services welcomed Consultant Dr. Merceline Dahl-Regis, former Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the Bahamas, to the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) April 30th – May 3rd 2015, to assist in the development of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) National Primary Health Care Renewal Strategy. Strengthening the primary healthcare system is one of the five pillars identified in the 2006 Health Care Renewal Strategy.
Dr. Dahl-Regis, a native of Nassau, Bahamas, received her Bachelors of Science degree in Medicine at the University of the West Indies. In April 1997, she was appointed Chief Medical Officer, in the Ministry of Health, Nassau. In 2009, Dr. Dahl-Regis received the PAHO Award for Administration, which represented her contribution to health care management and research and to medical education in primary health care.
The purpose of Dr. Dahl-Regis’s visit to the TCI, was to guide the process of assessing the current primary healthcare system and assist in the development of a National Primary Health Care Renewal Strategy. Consultation was held with all health sector partners both public and private, to gain a better understanding of what works well within the current primary healthcare system and what changes are necessary to strengthen the system. The three (3) day visit was quite rewarding as it provided a clearer path on the way forward.
Following this consultancy the National Primary Health Care Renewal Strategy document will be developed, which will first be piloted in one of our Primary Health Care clinics, after which it will be fully implemented in all clinics here in the TCI.
Our goal is to strengthen primary health care programmes and services offered in the Turks and Caicos Islands and to encourage residents and visitors to promote health and disease prevention as well as access high quality health care at Primary Health Care clinics.
All Government Primary Health Care clinics offered free blood pressure and blood sugar screening.
