The Ministry of Health and Human Services has partnered with a team from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) Public Health Programme to conduct a health needs assessment for communities in informal settlements throughout the TCI.
This project was funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and has taken place through a series of consultations and meetings in order to assess health needs and propose recommendations to address gaps in access to health care.
A steering committee supported the preliminary discussions on developing the scope and direction for the assessment and included representation from the TCI in the persons of, Dr Dawn O’Sullivan, Dr Camelia Clarke (Director, Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit), Aldora Robinson (Former Director, Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit) and Dr Nadia Astwood (Chief Medical Officer).
This project culminated in an in-country visit.
The visit, which began on January 21st, 2024, and concluded this week, saw several in-person consultations with key stakeholders across sectors, as well as community focus groups conducted in Providenciales and Grand Turk.
Following the visit, the team paid a courtesy call to the Minister of Health and Human Services, Hon. Shaun D Malcolm, and the Executive Team from the Ministry of Health and Human Services, to provide a high-level debrief and presentation of the preliminary findings of the assessment.
Following further analysis of the findings of the visit, a final report will be submitted to the Ministry of Health which will provide some conclusions as well as evidence-based recommendations for consideration by the Government.
