Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands 25 March 2026 — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) successfully hosted its Community Outreach Caravan on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Messenger Baptist Church in Five Cays, delivering a range of essential services to residents of the Granny Hill North informal settlement and surrounding communities.

This latest engagement marks the fifth Community Caravan executed by the ISU, and the fourth held in Providenciales, with one Caravan being conducted in Grand Turk. The initiative forms part of the Unit’s ongoing commitment to strengthening community relationships while improving access to vital support services within informal settlements.

Residents who attended the event benefited from a range of services provided through a collaborative effort with key partners, including the Health Promotions and Advocacy Unit, the Primary Healthcare Department and the Dental Unit, all of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, the Turks and Caicos Islands Red Cross, Menzies Optometry, the Rotary Club of Providenciales, and the TCI Diabetic Association. Services delivered included health screenings and checks, oral health education and products, and the distribution of essential home supplies such as bedding and fabric blinds. In addition, residents received vital eye health and diet and exercise education to help improve health outcomes.

The ISU extends sincere appreciation to the clergy and congregants of Messenger Baptist Church for their exceptional hospitality and unwavering support in facilitating the event. Their contributions, both prior to and during the exercise, played a critical role in ensuring its success.

Gratitude is also extended to the residents of Granny Hill North and all participating partners whose collaboration and engagement contributed to a meaningful and impactful outreach effort.

The Community Caravan initiative is closely aligned with the ISU’s broader Social Needs Assessment Survey, which continues to serve as a key mechanism for understanding the realities faced by residents in informal communities. The survey is designed to capture detailed information on living conditions, access to essential services, public health concerns, and infrastructure needs, ensuring that future interventions are data-driven and responsive to community priorities. 

Trained social surveyors have been deployed within the Granny Hill North community to conduct household-level assessments as part of this ongoing initiative. Residents are encouraged to participate, as their input will directly inform future planning, policy development, and targeted support programmes aimed at building safer and more sustainable communities.

The ISU remains committed to working alongside communities and partners to deliver impactful initiatives that improve quality of life and support long-term development across the Turks and Caicos Islands.

PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – (March 25th, 2026): Experience Turks and Caicos has published a new destination guide to the Turks and Caicos Islands, designed to enhance the visitor experience while providing potential travellers with comprehensive and inspiring information on the destination.

The magazine was produced in collaboration with Greydoor Publishing, a UK-based company that partners with tourism boards across the Caribbean to create high-quality destination magazines and pocket guides.

Spanning 104 pages, the publication offers an in-depth look at the Turks and Caicos Islands, from its rich history and culture to the diverse range of activities and experiences available across the islands.

With the tagline “An Ocean of Experiences”, the guidebook, in keeping with Experience Turks and Caicos’ mission to promote the destination’s multi-island identity and ensure that all communities benefit from tourism, shines a spotlight on each island, highlighting unique experiences, locally owned restaurants, and homegrown entrepreneurs. It also serves as a practical planning tool, featuring curated three-day, seven-day, and ten-day itineraries to help visitors make the most of their stay.

The guide places a strong emphasis on culture, with a dedicated section outlining signature events held throughout the year, giving visitors a deeper connection to the rhythm and spirit of the islands.

To further enhance convenience, the publication includes QR codes that link to comprehensive listings of car rentals, taxis, and restaurants across the destination.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, noted that the guidebook comes at a time when the destination is strengthening its presence in key international markets.

“We have made a clear commitment to strengthening our presence in key international markets, and this guide is an important part of that effort. It gives visitors a much fuller picture of who we are as a destination—not just our beaches, but our culture, our people, and the experiences across all of our islands. It helps us tell our story properly and ensures that more of Turks and Caicos is seen, experienced, and shared with the world,” the Minister said.

Interim CEO Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos, Mr. Paul Pennicook, expressed pride in the publication, which marks the organisation’s first official guidebook.

“As we continue to expand the presence of the Turks and Caicos Islands at trade shows and conferences around the world, this guidebook will play an essential role in showcasing the destination,” he said. “I would like to thank all of the stakeholders who supported this publication through advertising, as well as Greydoor Publishing for working closely with our Public Relations Manager, Ms. Laura Dowrich, to bring this magazine to life.”

A digital version of The Turks and Caicos Islands Guidebook is available on our destination website at www.visitturksandcaicos.com.

Turks and Caicos Islands – March 23, 2026 – In recognition of Patient Safety Awareness Week, observed March 8–14, 2026, the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital, operated by InterHealth Canada Ltd., proudly joined healthcare partners worldwide in advancing this year’s theme, “Team Up for Patient Safety.” The 2026 campaign emphasized the critical role of teamwork and reinforced the importance of collaboration among patients, families, care teams, and leadership in creating safer healthcare environments.

While globally observed as a week-long initiative, the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital extended its activities throughout the entire month of March, underscoring that patient safety requires sustained commitment, continuous learning, and shared accountability.

A Month of Learning, Engagement, and Collaboration

Throughout March, the hospital hosted a series of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) sessions aimed at strengthening competencies and reinforcing a culture of safety across all levels of care. These included:

• Patient Safety – Your Role, empowering individuals to recognize and act on their impact on safety outcomes
• Effective Communication Strategies, focusing on delivering safe care through structured, reliable communication
• TeamSTEPPS – Reinforcement and Expansion, strengthening the use of evidence based teamwork tools to enhance care delivery

Grand Rounds sessions further supported clinical excellence and knowledge translation, featuring:

• Rescue Ready 2025: Translating AHA PALS Updates into Practice
• Colorectal Cancer Screening: A Roadmap for Caribbean Countries
• Beyond the Algorithm: Applying the latest American heart Association BLS & ACLS Guidance in Emergency Practice

To promote engagement and learning in an interactive format, a Patient Safety Trivia Event was also hosted. The event featured five dynamic rounds covering patient safety principles, general knowledge, and a TCI knowledge lightning round, with prizes awarded to the top five participants. In addition, we welcomed Grade 4 students to our Hospital Teddy Bear Clinic, which served as an innovative extension of our patient safety efforts. This initiative allowed children to role-play as caregivers by bringing their teddy bears for “treatment,” helping them understand basic healthcare processes such as first aid, hand hygiene, communication, and safe care practices. By introducing these concepts early, the clinic not only reduces fear associated with healthcare settings but also promotes awareness of patient safety behaviours in a simple, memorable way.

Reaffirming a Shared Commitment

A defining moment of the month was the symbolic passing of the Patient Safety Baton, reinforcing the collective responsibility for safe care:

“Patient safety is not one person’s responsibility. It is a commitment we share across teams, departments, organizations, and nations; and it is upheld in partnership with every patient and family we serve.”

Advancing the 2026 Patient Safety Objectives

Aligned with the global theme, the hospital’s initiatives focused on four strategic priorities:

• Promote Collaboration: Encouraging active participation from all members of the care team, including patients and families
• Enhance Communication: Strengthening open dialogue to improve understanding of care plans and safety protocols
• Recognize Achievements: Celebrating progress while identifying opportunities for continuous improvement
• Engage Communities: Inspiring broader discussions on patient safety, equity, and quality in healthcare delivery

Acknowledgements

The Board of Directors and Executive Leadership of the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital extend sincere appreciation to all who participated in the month’s activities and contributed to the success and sustainability of this important initiative.

Special thanks are extended to our dedicated healthcare teams for their unwavering commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care; our video and production team for effectively amplifying key messages; our valued healthcare partners for their collaboration and support; and the leadership of the Turks and Caicos Islands, including Her Excellency the Governor, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, the Honourable Premier, Charles Washington Misick and the Honourable Minister of Health, Kyle Knowles for their continued guidance and commitment to advancing patient safety nationally.

Building a Culture That Lasts

“Patient safety is not a solo effort, it is a collective commitment that defines the integrity of our healthcare system,” said Isha Honoré, Quality, Risk, Patient Safety and Management Lead at the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital. “Our responsibility is to design and sustain environments where teams are supported, patients are heard, and risks are proactively managed. Through sustained engagement beyond this month, we are advancing a culture of high reliability, where safety is consistently delivered, measured, and continuously improved.”

Dr. Denise Braithwaite-Tennant, Chief Executive Officer of the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment, noting that patient safety remains central to the hospital’s mission and strategic direction. “Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do. This year’s theme, ‘Team Up for Patient Safety,’ reinforces a simple but powerful truth, safe care is achieved when we work together. At the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital, we are committed to fostering a culture where collaboration, communication, and accountability guide every interaction. I am proud of our teams for their dedication throughout this month and beyond, as we continue to strengthen systems, empower our staff and patients, and deliver care that is consistently safe, reliable, and of high quality.”

The Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital remains dedicated to fostering a culture where safety is prioritized, communication is strengthened, and every voice, staff, patient, and family, is valued.

Healthcare professionals, community partners, patients, and families are encouraged to continue supporting patient safety by speaking up, staying informed, and working collaboratively to improve care outcomes.