Health
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ADVISES OF DRUG RECALL
Providenciales, August 2, 2022)…..Ministry of Health and Human Services (MoHHS) issues voluntary recall of Vi-Jon LLC’s Magnesium Citrate Saline Laxative Oral Solution due to microbial contamination.
The Ministry of Health and Human Services (MoHHS), in response to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory, is advising all local suppliers and the general public to discontinue the sale and/or use of all flavours of Magnesium Citrate Saline Laxative Oral Solution 10 FL Oz (296ml) (Cherry, Grape and Lemon Flavours) products distributed by Vi-Jon LLC’s in the United States (see below). The product is used for the relief of occasional constipation and is packaged in clear round plastic bottles.
The advisory results from an expanded voluntary recall that was initiated after microbial testing identified the presence of the bacteria Gluconacetobacter liquefaciens in these products. The previous voluntary recall concerned one (1) lot of CVS Magnesium Citrate Saline Laxative Oral Solution Lemon Flavour 10 FL Oz (296 ml). The affected CVS Magnesium Citrate Saline Laxative Oral Solution Lemon Flavour lot includes the following batch number:
0556808 and expiration date: 12/2023 on the shoulder of the bottle. The other affected brands are listed below.
Vi-Jon LLC has issued a risk statement which indicates that immunocompromised patients may be at increased risk for infections – caused by Gluconacetobacter liquefaciens – that tend to spread in an especially quick and aggressive manner leading to serious, life-threatening adverse health consequences. Of note, Vi-Jon LLC has also received three (3) reports of an adverse reaction potentially related to this recall. The company is in the process of investigating these reports. Notably, further updates will be provided as investigations continue.
The MoHHS therefore implores all local suppliers to:
- Immediately stop supplying the affected lots of the brands listed above.
- Notify your overseas vendors.
- Quarantine all remaining stock(s) of the identified brands for possible disposal by the Environmental Health Department.
Additionally, the MoHHS wishes to advise consumers to stop using the affected products and contact their respective pharmacies or other local suppliers. Consumers may contact the Environmental Health Department at 338-2142 for more information on how best to dispose of these products. In addition, consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have any questions, concerns or have experienced any problems related to the use of antacid products. Consumers are also advised to report any side effects via the MoHHS’ Adverse Drug Reaction Form found at https://gov.tc/docs/ADR.pdf.
The MoHHS’ top priority is to ensure public health safety and will therefore continue to monitor this situation as investigations continue.
For further information, please contact the MoHHS at 338-3072.
(Providenciales – Monday, March 2, 2026) TCI Hospital proudly announces the successful achievement of its Heart Strong TCI initiative, a comprehensive Heart Month campaign focused on raising awareness and strengthening cardiovascular disease prevention efforts across the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the Turks and Caicos Islands, highlighting the critical need for sustained public education, risk-factor reduction, and early intervention. The Heart Strong TCI initiative was designed to actively engage the community through education, outreach, and physical activity.
Key Activities Included:
Educational Training Sessions
Healthcare professionals conducted structured sessions addressing hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol management, nutrition, exercise, smoking cessation, and the early warning signs of heart disease.
House Call Talk Show Feature
A dedicated Heart Month episode of the hospital’s House Call program provided expert discussion on cardiovascular risk factors and prevention strategies, empowering viewers with practical, evidence-based guidance.
Red Fridays Awareness Campaign
Throughout the month, staff wore red every Friday to increase visibility around heart disease awareness and reinforce the campaign’s message within the community.
Heart Strong 5K Walk/Run
In collaboration with the Rotary Club, TCI Hospital hosted a community-wide 5K walk/run to promote physical activity as a cornerstone of
heart health. The walk/run also provided an opportunity for community screening.
Digital Health Education Campaign
To expand its reach, TCI Hospital also shared ongoing heart health education tips and prevention messages across its social media platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. These posts provided actionable guidance on diet, exercise, blood pressure control, and lifestyle modification, and encouraging community members to learn CPR.
Heart Strong TCI: A Continuous Commitment
While Heart Month has officially ended, Heart Strong TCI represents an ongoing institutional commitment to cardiovascular disease prevention and awareness. TCI Hospital will continue to prioritize:
- Community-based education initiatives
- Preventative screening and early detection programs
- Lifestyle and wellness promotion
- Strategic partnerships that advance public health outcomes
“Heart Strong TCI is not limited to a single month,” CEO, Dr. Denise Braithwaite-Tennant. “Cardiovascular disease prevention requires sustained effort. We remain committed to promoting healthy hearts across the Turks and Caicos Islands year-round.”
For more information about cardiovascular health services or upcoming screening initiatives, please contact TCI Hospital at 649-941-2800 in Providenciales, 649-941-2900 in Grand Turk or email us at info@interhealthcanada.tc
About TCI Hospital
TCI Hospital is dedicated to delivering high-quality healthcare services to the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, with a strong emphasis on prevention, education, and community wellness.
February is National Self- Check Month and family medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic, OH, John Hanicak, MD, highlights why at home self-checks are extremely important when it comes to not just early cancer detection but identifying other illnesses too and offers tips on what to look out for.
“Sometimes I look at them as sort of like your check engine light on the car, just like there would be a red flashing light that tells you that
there’s something wrong with a car and prompts you to bring that in and get serviced. Your body does the same thing. It gives you warning signs to look into that symptom a little bit further,” said Hanicak.
Dr. Hanicak said self-checks are going to be a little different for everyone.
However, in general, he recommends looking for anything that may seem abnormal, such as unexplained weight loss, blood in your urine, bumps and bruises that won’t heal, and changes in bowel habits.
For example, if you suddenly start going to the bathroom a lot more than you used to, that could be a sign of something more serious.
He also suggests doing regular skin checks and documenting any moles or spots that start to look different.
“Realize that you are your own person. There’s nobody else in the world exactly like you. You’ve got your own set of ideas, your own family history and your own genetics. Know what is normal for you, and when that changes, that’s the kind of thing that we would be interested in talking about,” said Dr. Hanicak.
Dr. Hanicak notes that self-checks are not meant to replace cancer screenings, as those are just as important to keep up with.
Press Release: Cleveland Clinic
December 4, 2025 – Hollywood legend Bruce Willis – arguably the most famous former home owner in Turks and Caicos Islands – is facing the most difficult role of his life and turning it into one last act of service.
Willis, 70, retired from acting in 2022 after his family revealed he had been diagnosed with aphasia. The following year, specialists
confirmed he is living with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a degenerative brain disease that attacks language, behaviour and personality.
In recent interviews and appearances, his wife Emma Heming Willis has said Bruce is “surrounded by love and care” and that the family is learning to find joy in new ways, even as the disease progresses.
Now, Heming Willis has gone further. In her 2025 memoir The Unexpected Journey, she writes that the family has decided Bruce’s brain will be donated to science after his death to advance research into FTD. That decision has been highlighted in recent coverage by futurist and science outlets, which describe it as a carefully considered step after months of watching a still-physically-strong man steadily lose speech, reading and independence.
Neurologists have long stressed how rare donated brain tissue is for FTD, and how essential it is to understanding which proteins, mutations and mechanisms are actually driving the disease. The Willis family’s choice means the brain that powered some of cinema’s most iconic characters could one day help researchers diagnose the condition earlier and design better treatments – even if it cannot help Bruce himself.
For Turks and Caicos, the story lands close to home. For nearly two decades Willis owned “The Residence” on exclusive Parrot Cay – a 7.3-acre, Asian-inspired beachfront compound with a five-bedroom main house, two guest villas and a yoga pavilion. He and Emma listed the estate in March 2019 for US$33 million; it sold a few months later for about US$27 million, one of the biggest residential deals in TCI history.
So, while Bruce Willis no longer has a physical address in Turks and Caicos, his connection to these islands remains part of his global story – a story now shifting from blockbuster fame to medical legacy, as his family turns private heartbreak into a public contribution that could change what we know about dementia.
Developed by Deandrea Hamilton • with ChatGPT (AI) • edited by Magnetic Media.
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