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A Moment in Mental Health

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My Q&A with Dr. Alicia Malcolm

 

  1. How many clients are you serving at this time or how many mentally challenged individuals are registered with the Department?

The Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence sees an average of 1,100 persons in our clinics per year. This number has steadily increased as persons become more aware of the importance of taking care of their mental health.

  1. What are the top three or five leading mental health issues for TCI?

The leading cause for consultations are for Anxiety/ stress related disorders and Mood Disorders such as Depression.

  1. How many do you believe are going undiagnosed and therefore unsupported?

Based on psychological research, there does not appear to be a significant difference in the overall prevalence of mental health disorders between the genders. However, there are some noticeable differences in the types of mental illnesses that men and women struggle with.  Some more common mental disorders in men include:

  1. Do you think or do we have stats to show if mental health is a larger issue for men or women?

Antisocial personality disorders. For women, common mental disorders include: Depression, Anxiety and PTSD.

Women present more frequently in our clinics than men. However, this does not mean that mental health issues are larger in females. Typically across the globe you’ll find that men are less likely than women to seek help for a mental health condition.

  1. How many are getting treatment/care/support?

It is unclear exactly how many people across the nation have undiagnosed mental health conditions. However, our encouragement is that anyone who is experiencing any sort of mental or emotional issues that create impairment in their daily functioning contact us so that we can assess and provide the necessary intervention. On average we provide treatment and care for about 15- 20 in our treatment abroad program and as mentioned previously an average of 1,100 in country per year.

  1. What is the status of the Mental Health Facility; seems it has been stagnant for many years now?

The mental health facility project is ongoing and it is anticipated to open early next year (2022). Recruitment of staff is actively being done while remaining construction works are being completed.

  1. I notice that your budget has nearly doubled in 10 years; what does this mean for Mental Health in TCI?

The increase in the budget reflects a number of things but in essence it means that there will be additional mental health professionals available to provide care and treatment for clients. In addition, new and improved forms of medication are being utilized with patients who may have become treatment resistant.

  1. How many mental health doctors do we have country wide?  What is your team size?

The mental health team is currently comprised of  eight clinicians: 4 doctors and 4 therapists. There are 12 new positions that have been added and recruitment is being done to fill them.

  1. How many children with mental health issues; and what kind?

On average 30 – 40 children are seen in our clinics per year. The top three mental health issues are Depression, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Trauma Related- Sexual Abuse.

  1. What step would make the biggest impact on an improved delivery of care/service to mental health in Turks and Caicos from your experience?

Some steps that will assist in the continued improvement of mental health care delivery in TCI include: building local capacity through ongoing training of general practitioners; completion of mental health facility to serve persons with acute and chronic mental health conditions; ensuring greater access to services e.g through the continued use of telehealth services and strengthening community outreach and educational programs.

 

Dr. Alicia B. Malcolm (Psy.D.) became Director of the Department of Mental Health & Substance Dependence of the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2013.

 

Caribbean News

CARPHA Progresses to Eligibility for the First Disbursement of Pandemic Funding

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Following a landmark Public Signing Ceremony for the Pandemic Fund (PF) Technical Cooperation Agreement (“Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” [RG-T4387] Project) on December 14, 2023, in Trinidad, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to progress towards the start of implementation.

 CARPHA fulfilled the IDB’s nine conditions prior to first disbursement, achieving full eligibility on March 15, 2024, and is now eligible for the first disbursement. This milestone achievement in just 3 months after the signing speaks to the commitment of both CARPHA, the Executing Agency, and IDB, the Implementing Entity, toward the regional PF project with the objective of supporting the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) surveillance & early-warning systems (EWS), laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and in countries.

Since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement and as part of the conditions prior to first disbursement, CARPHA has achieved the following key outputs (i) the development of the PF Project Operations Manual, Multi-annual Execution Plan, Procurement Plan, Financial Plan, Procedure for CARPHA’s Financial Reporting System; (ii) vacancy announcements for two tranches of consultants with the subsequent hiring of five (Technical Coordinator, Financial Specialist, Procurement Specialist, Operations Officer and Project Operations Coordinator) and (iii) the establishment of the Project Execution Unit (PEU) and Project Execution Steering Committee (PESC). The dedicated PEU will be responsible for execution according to its planned timelines, which will be led by the Dr. Lisa Indar, the Project Director (CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division).

 CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean Cooperation in Health is mandated by its Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to support its 26 CARPHA Member States (CMS) in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional response to public health threats. The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks for coordinating its public health response work.

In July 2023, the PF Governing Board announced that CARPHA’s regional entity proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing. It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project. The three priority areas in the proposal are: (i) Comprehensive disease surveillance and EWS, (ii) Laboratory systems and (iii) Human resources and public health and community workforce capacity.

This project is expected to begin implementation in March 2024, starting off with a blended onboarding session. A Stakeholder Meeting with countries is tentatively planned for July 2024.

CARPHA remains dedicated to working together with the IDB, CARPHA Member States and the Pandemic Fund to successfully implement the regional proposal geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.

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Health

Ministry of Health and Human Services Launched Electronic Patient Care Report (Ambpro)

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The Ministry of Health and Human Services proudly announces the successful launch of the Electronic Patient Care Report (ePCR), marking a historic milestone in emergency healthcare services. The official unveiling ceremony took place on March 12, 2024 at the Atrium conference room.

In attendance were distinguished dignitaries, including  Deputy Premier and Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, Honourable Jamell Robinson; Minister of Health and Human Services, Honourable Shaun D. Malcolm; Minister of Tourism, Environment, Maritime, Culture, Heritage and Religious Affairs, Honourable Josephine Connolly; Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Library Services, Honourable Rachel Taylor; the Minister of Immigration and Border Services, Honourable Arlington Musgrove; and the Permanent Secretary of Health, Mrs Desiree Lewis, who recognized the significance of the ePCR system in promoting public health and safety. Their presence underscored the government’s unwavering commitment to investing in healthcare infrastructure and technological advancements to better serve the needs of the population. Thus reaffirming their support for initiatives aimed at improving emergency healthcare services and strengthening the National Emergency Medical Service’s capabilities.

During the launch event, the Minister of Health and Human Services highlighted the transformative impact of the ePCR system on patient care and emergency response efforts. Emphasizing the importance of innovation in healthcare, the Minister expressed gratitude to the dedicated team of professionals who contributed to the development and implementation of the ground breaking technology. The Deputy Premier praised the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of the ePCR system, affirming its potential to revolutionize emergency medical services especially the pre-hospital management of citizens and visitors across the country.

The Director of Emergency Medical Services, Mr. Andy Brijmohansingh, spoke passionately about the importance of embracing technology to advance patient care. “The introduction of the Electronic Patient Care Report marks a new chapter in our commitment to providing high-quality emergency medical services,” said Mr Brijmohansingh. “This innovative system empowers our teams with the tools they need to deliver swift and effective care, while ensuring that patient information is accurately captured and securely shared.”

The Electronic Patient Care Report (ePCR) represents a significant advancement in the National Ambulance Service’s mission to deliver efficient and high-quality emergency medical care to citizens across the nation. Developed with cutting-edge technology and meticulous attention to detail, the ePCR system streamlines the documentation process, enhances communication, and ensures the seamless transfer of patient information between emergency responders and healthcare facilities.

The launch of the Electronic Patient Care Report marks a new chapter in the evolution of emergency medical services, promising enhanced efficiency, accuracy, and patient outcomes. With its implementation, the National Emergency Medical Services reaffirms its dedication to providing timely and effective care to individuals in their time of need.

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Caribbean News

Haiti Food Insecurity Rising

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

 

#Haiti#FoodInsecurity, March 25th, 2024 Half of Haiti’s population or nearly 5 million people are classified as food insecure for the period March to June 2024, a projected 50 percent increase up from 45 percent from August 2023 to February 2024. This is according to the Haitian Government in a March 23rd report, as informed by an update from an IPC1 analysis. The factors contributing to the continued decrease in food security, the report says, include the increase of the food basket by 22 percent as of February 2024 and the worsening Violence which disrupts food supply chains.

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