Health
The Turks and Caicos Islands most powerful MRI arrives safely
#TurksandCaicos, July 5, 2022 – The much-anticipated delivery of the InterHealth Canada Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital’s new GE SIGNA™ 1.5T Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine completed a successful transfer from overseas to its new home at the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre on Wednesday, June 29, 2022.
Under a cloudless, beautiful sky and welcoming sunny weather, the GE SIGNA™ 1.5T MRI was skillfully and expertly
lifted into the air using a massive crane onto a conveyor belt that allowed the unit with some manpower to glide into the MRI plant room. And Just like that, a new era of precision medicine is set to begin at the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Government is committed to improving health care across the Turks and Caicos Islands on all levels explained The Minister of Health and Human Services Honourable Jamell Robinson
“Having access to technology like the GE SIGNA™ 1.5T is fantastic news. This MRI replacement project, in particular, will significantly and positively impact families in our communities that need access without unnecessary wait times. But as a growing Country, continued investments in health care are also critical for doing everything possible to ensure our residents receive the care they need close to home, resulting in better health outcomes overall. As the Minister of Health, I will continue to be committed to protecting and improving the quality and safety of health care services in the Turks and Caicos Islands. This MRI replacement project has been a long-time planning, and I am very much delighted to see that it is on Island and will be operational soon. Congratulations to the project team”, stated Hon. Robinson.
The GE SIGNA™ 1.5T MRI’s arrival marks a significant milestone in the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital, and it demonstrates a commitment to excellence, and people-centred care, while developing more seamless and integrated health services for the Turks and Caicos Islands Community, explained the CEO of the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital, Dr Denise Braithwaite-Tennant.
“I am absolutely delighted to see our brand-new GE SIGNA™ 1.5T MRI Scanner delivered to its new home at the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre this week. This GE SIGNA™ 1.5T (MRI) is the first of its kind with artificial intelligence-enabled features in the Caribbean. The installation of a new MRI and CT scan is a capital project sponsored by the Turks and Caicos Islands Government and InterHealth Canada. Overall, the GE SIGNA™ 1.5T MRI Scanner is designed to increase efficiency, improve productivity, maximize our diagnostic potential, and keep the patient experience at the forefront.
GE has utilized their over forty years of experience in Magnetic Resonance innovation to develop a system with an ingeniously simple, environmentally friendly design and future-ready capability. This is excellent news for our patients and the diagnostic imaging team using the new equipment with its advanced technology. I want to say a huge thank you to our patients and colleagues for their patience during the project by accommodating the various changes in patient flow and our amazing and naturally excellent Project Team for their hard work on this historical and transformative project”, said CEO Dr Braithwaite-Tennant.
“The next stage of the project will run over the next four weeks and will be focused on restoring the infrastructure, installation of the unit and training for all categories of staff. The MRI shall complete onsite quality and safety checks before service implementation. Once these key pieces of the project plan are completed, it’s anticipated that MRI exams for patients will begin on schedule in early August. Our aim is to make each patient’s experience a more pleasant one,” stated Pheona Brown- Watson, Project Manager.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital have embarked upon an ambitious three-year strategic plan under the theme “Exceeding Expectations”. This plan focuses on excellence, sustainability and people-centred services. Our partnership with the Turks and Caicos Government is a key enabler in the plan’s success, with the foundation being our shared vision of excellence in health care for the people of the TCI.
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
Turks and Caicos, September 6, 2025 – COVID-19 fears in the Turks and Caicos Islands that once had residents on edge are now giving way to a sense of relief. The Ministry of Health and Human Services reports a dramatic reversal: from dozens of new cases in July to zero cases and zero hospitalizations today.
Between August 17 and 23, 2025, officials confirmed no new cases, no hospitalizations, and no new deaths. Just two recoveries were recorded, bringing the national recovery tally to 6,866. The total confirmed cases since 2020 stand at 6,922, with deaths unchanged at 41. Health officials say August has been relatively quiet overall, with 19 new cases and recoveries recorded for the month — a fraction of what the islands faced just weeks earlier.
The contrast could not be sharper. The most concerning bulletin came in mid-July, when the Ministry reported 54 new cases in a single
week. Ten were fresh positives, while the other 44 came from a backlog of April samples. At that time, two new hospitalizations were recorded, and the islands mourned one additional COVID-related death, bringing the total to 41. It was a sobering reminder that the virus was still circulating, pushing recoveries to 6,845 and raising the cumulative case count to 6,910. The July spike stirred fear among residents and renewed calls for vigilance, as community spread and delayed lab results painted a worrying picture.
Fast forward to late August, and the numbers tell a very different story. Not only are new cases negligible, but the hospitals are reporting no COVID-19 patients at all. Officials say testing continues across a wide range of categories, and the Ministry urges the public to stay cautious: wash hands, wear masks in crowded spaces, protect the vulnerable, and get vaccinated. But the tone now is one of optimism.
Since the pandemic began in 2020, Turks and Caicos has recorded nearly 7,000 cases in total, with 6,866 recoveries and 41 deaths. The islands’ small population means every case has felt significant, and surges like July’s were especially unsettling. But today’s figures suggest the country has reached a new stage: COVID-19 is no longer the disruptive force it was. The Ministry credits continued public vigilance and the accessibility of free testing and vaccines at government clinics. While the numbers are cause for celebration, health leaders are careful not to declare the fight over. The Ministry’s latest bulletin reminds residents to maintain hygienic practices, follow self-isolation guidelines if infected, and ensure vaccinations are up to date.
The pandemic may not be entirely behind the Turks and Caicos, but compared to the frightening figures of July, the near-zero landscape of August offers a powerful sign of hope.
The Ministry released the bulletin on September 2, confirming that for the week of August 17–23, no new cases, hospitalizations, or deaths were recorded — a sharp contrast to the surge just weeks earlier.
Health
Turks and Caicos Islands Health Delegation Completes Strategic Visits to Florida and Cayman Islands to Advance Health Sector Reform and Strengthen Treatment Abroad Programme
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 22 August 2025 — A high-level delegation from the Ministry of Health and Human Services (MOHHS) has successfully concluded strategic working visits to Florida and the Cayman Islands from August 5–13, 2025. The mission aimed to strengthen the Treatment Abroad Programme, explore innovative health system models, and advance the Turks and Caicos Islands’ health sector reform agenda through strategic regional partnerships.
Delegation Members:
- Hon. Kyle Knowles – Minister of Health and Human Services
MoHHS Team with Health City Executive Management Team
- Mrs. Desiree Lewis – Permanent Secretary, Health and Human Services
- Mr. Lynrod Brooks – Director, Health Policy and Planning
- Ms. Florinda Talbot – Contract Performance Manager
- Mrs. Romaine Missick-Smith – CEO, Health Regulations Authority
- Ms. Jasmine Malcolm – Executive Administrator, MOHHS
Minister of Health and Human Services, Hon. Kyle Knowles, highlighted the significance of these engagements:
“These visits were not ceremonial; they were strategic, focused, and impactful. In Florida, we reinforced partnerships with leading healthcare providers to ensure TCI patients referred overseas receive the highest standards of clinical care and patient support. In the Cayman Islands, our mission was two-fold: to study the operations of the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority as a model to guide the establishment of our own Health Services Authority, and to strengthen ties with Cayman-based treatment partners, where many of our patients are referred under the Treatment Abroad Programme. Both visits underscored that small island states share many health challenges, and that collaboration, innovation, and adapting best practices to our local context are essential to achieving better health outcomes for our people.”
Florida – Strengthening the Treatment Abroad Programme
MoHHS Team with Cayman Minsterial officials
During the period August 5–9, the delegation visited Broward Medical Center, University of Miami Health System, Cleveland Clinic, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, and the International Reinsurance Managers Network. They also toured REVA Air Ambulance Services to review medical evacuation operations and patient transfer management. Discussions centered on patient care pathways, specialized services in ophthalmology, cardiology, oncology, and pediatrics, family-centered care models, advanced telemedicine for pre- and post-treatment consultations, and reinsurance strategies for high-cost overseas cases. Key outcomes include agreements to expand telehealth consultations, develop a standardized referral package to reduce delays, explore reinsurance arrangements to safeguard public health budgets, and establish specialized pediatric transfer protocols.
Cayman Islands – Health Sector Reform and Treatment Abroad Partnerships
From August 10–13, the delegation engaged with senior executives at Health City Cayman Islands, including Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil (Clinical Director), Shomari Scott (Chief Business Development Officer), Rebecca Brooks (Head of Marketing and Sales), and Ingrid Harris (Sales and Marketing). The team toured two hospital facilities and held in-depth discussions with Lizzette Yearwood, Chief Executive Officer along with leadership staff of the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority
The focus was two-fold:
- Health Sector Reform – Examining governance, financial management, and operational structures of the Cayman Islands HSA model
MoHHS Team with CEO and senior official Cayman HSA
to inform TCI’s development of its own Health Services Authority.
- Treatment Abroad Strengthening – Reviewing current referral arrangements with Cayman healthcare partners to enhance patient care coordination and improve treatment pathways for TCI patients referred to Cayman.
The delegation also met with Honourable Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, Minister for Health, Environment, Sustainability, and Honourable G. Wayne Panton, Parliamentary Secretary for Health. The team concluded with a meeting with Acting Premier Hon. Gary B. Rutty and Cabinet members, reaffirming the shared commitment to improving healthcare access and outcomes through regional collaboration.
Next Steps
The Ministry will incorporate lessons learned from these visits into ongoing health reform planning, ensuring that the proposed Health Services Authority is tailored to TCI’s needs while reflecting regional best practices. Efforts will continue to ensure that the Treatment Abroad Programme delivers efficient, sustainable, and patient-centered care.
