Health
Just a few more days now for the Cuban Medical Brigade as Health struggles to find and keep staff
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, July 15, 2022 – After two years the Cuban Brigade is nearly ready to exit the island and will be leaving in a few days’ time; July 19 was revealed as the final day for the medical team from nearby Cuba which bolstered local medical staff during the earlier days of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Medical staff members are a hot commodity right now and small island states are struggling to keep nurses and doctors at home in the face of larger, richer countries dangling extremely lucrative salaries and career options in attempts to lure the professional out of the region.
It is working and the Turks and Caicos is no different.
“As soon as we recruit a new nurse we have a nurse that is leaving us,” said Dr Denise Braithwaite-Tennant, CEO of InterHealth Canada.
Minister of Health Jamell Robinson explained that while they had been recruiting it was a difficult process and they were hopeful that they would be able to fill their positions.
“Hopefully we do get the responses we need because there is a significant competition across the world for these types of professionals. Hopefully we’ve pitched the jobs and remuneration packages at a level that we will attract the persons we need to be able to fill these roles.”
He explained that people rescinding offers at the last minute was a problem for the Turks and Caicos as well.
“The deal is not done until the person is on the ground because we’ve made offers to people and then weeks before they are supposed to get on the ground they rescind.”
Dr. Braithwaite-Tennant explained why it was so difficult not only to get nurses specifically on-island but to keep them in the Turks and Caicos.
“Mainly they are leaving to be travel nurses in the United States which is commanding access to green cards and higher remuneration. Travel Nurses can earn between $4,000 to $5,000 a week so we are competing with that.”
Braithwaite-Tennant, who is native to Turks and Caicos thanked the soon to depart Cuban Medical Brigade for its service to the TCI during the pandemic. To replace them the TCI Hospitals is seeking 10 more full time specialty nurses.
“What this pandemic has shown us is that the capacity to access specialist nurses in the [local] community is not there.”
Dr. Braitwaite-Tennant said this could be dangerous in times of emergency, as the TCI uses overseas personnel to step in when their doctors go on leave.
“What happened during the pandemic is everyone held on to their specialists so we had doctors going months and months and months without being able to get leave. That’s not sustainable.”
She said to fix it they wanted to introduce medical interns to offset the workload and were recruiting aggressively to fill advanced posts as well.
In mental health at least things are looking up, Robinson explained most of the required staff for the Grand Turk Mental Health clinic had been sourced.
“A number of the personnel, I think about 80 percent of the people we wanted to hire, we’ve identified and they are in-country.”
Additionally the minister said they had good prospects for the Port Health Authority and recruitment was now closed. Describing it as a priority for the Health Ministry Robinson said.
“The next time we have a pandemic event we will have the personnel in place beforehand as opposed to trying to catch up to it after.”
The CEO of the hospitals thanked the community for its patience and reminded that some of the long wait times were a direct result of the staff shortages.
Health
Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital Celebrates Successful Completion of 2026 Summer READY Programme
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – August 18, 2026 – Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital is pleased to announce the successful completion of its Summer READY Programme, a two-week internship initiative designed to provide high school students in Forms 3-5 with hands-on exposure to the healthcare environment and an opportunity to explore careers within the sector.
The programme, organised and hosted by the Training and Education Department, welcomed students into various clinical departments,
where they gained first-hand insight into the day-to-day operations of a healthcare facility and learned directly from healthcare professionals.
Throughout the two-week internship, students were exposed to different aspects of patient care and clinical operations while developing important workplace competencies, including communication, teamwork, professionalism, punctuality and responsibility. The experience was designed to complement classroom learning while helping students make more informed decisions about their future education and career pathways.
Vernessa Forbes, Training and Education Manager, said the Summer READY Programme reflects the hospital’s commitment to developing young people and creating meaningful opportunities for them to explore the healthcare profession.
“Summer READY is about giving our young people an opportunity to experience healthcare beyond what they may have seen or learned in the classroom. Over the two weeks, our students were able to interact with healthcare professionals, observe different clinical environments and gain a better understanding of the dedication and teamwork required to care for our patients. We were impressed by their enthusiasm, curiosity and willingness to learn, and we hope this experience has inspired them to consider the many rewarding careers available in healthcare.”
By rotating through and gaining exposure to various clinical departments, students were also able to see that healthcare extends beyond the roles most commonly associated with a hospital. The programme introduced them to the range of skills, disciplines and professionals that work together to deliver safe, compassionate and high-quality patient care.
Dr. Denise Braithwaite-Tennant, Chief Executive Officer, said the hospital has an important role to play in building the human capacity needed to support the future development and sustainability of healthcare in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
“As a hospital, our responsibility extends beyond providing healthcare services today; we also have an important role in helping to develop the people who will deliver and lead healthcare tomorrow. Human capacity building is essential to the long-term sustainability of our health system, and programmes such as Summer READY allow us to introduce young people to healthcare careers early, nurture their interests and help them understand the educational and professional pathways available to them.
By opening our clinical environment to students and providing mentorship and practical exposure, we are helping to build a pipeline of
future nurses, physicians, allied health professionals and other healthcare workers. We want our young people to see that there is a place for their talents within the health sector and, importantly, that they can build rewarding careers while contributing to the health and development of the Turks and Caicos Islands. We are proud to play our part in investing in the next generation and strengthening our country’s future healthcare workforce.”
The programme concluded with the presentation of certificates of completion to the students, recognizing their successful participation and commitment throughout the two-week internship.
Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital congratulates all of the students who successfully completed the Summer Ready Programme and extends its appreciation to the clinical teams, supervisors and staff members who provided mentorship, guidance and practical learning opportunities throughout the programme.
Through the Summer READY Programme and its wider education, training, internship and professional development initiatives, Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital remains committed to supporting national human capacity development. By partnering with educational institutions, government agencies and other stakeholders, and by providing mentorship and practical learning opportunities within the healthcare environment, the Hospital aims to strengthen the pipeline of skilled healthcare professionals needed to meet the evolving health needs of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Americas has recorded 47,459 confirmed measles cases and 44 deaths in 2026, the region’s highest case count in 22 years, prompting the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to urge stronger vaccination, surveillance and rapid outbreak response.
As of July 18, cases were already more than triple the 15,011 recorded during all of 2025. Guatemala, Mexico, the United States and Peru
account for 95% of confirmed cases. Guatemala leads with 30,371 cases and 26 deaths, followed by Mexico with 12,255 cases and 17 deaths.
PAHO classifies the regional public health risk as very high, citing active outbreaks, immunity gaps, international travel and populations with inadequate vaccination coverage.
The organization says prevention starts with vaccination. Countries are being urged to achieve and maintain at least 95% coverage with two doses of measles-containing vaccine, particularly protecting children and under-vaccinated communities.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. Symptoms can include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash.
PAHO is urging health authorities to detect suspected cases early and respond rapidly to stop transmission. Unvaccinated and under-vaccinated people, young children and communities with limited healthcare access face increased risk of severe illness and death.
