Health
Problems in Health Care Delivery
#TurksandCaicos, September 1, 2022 – I am very concerned about the lack of clinical services being made available to our citizens at both the Cockburn Town hospital, Grand Turk, and the Cheshire Hall Hospital, Providenciales. And when I investigated what clinical services are accessible in Grand Turk, it is extremely far less than being offered at Cheshire Hall.
A number of patients have brought to my attention the difficulty in getting an appointment to be seen, and many
have expressed the feeling of being neglected. And as we all know that with health matters timing is everything. Early detection and early interventions almost always save lives and prevent future life-threatening complications.
During my time as Health Services Manager and before that as Laboratory Director, it had always been the target to have both Health Services locations properly equipped and staffed to tackle the citizens’ health needs. Both locations had identical equipment, and identical complement of staff, with a few variations in numbers. Grand Turk Location handled Salt Cay and South Caicos, and Providenciales location handled North and Middle Caicos.
When I was the Minister of Health, much progress was being made in the reestablishing of old community clinics, e.g.; the town clinic location in Grand Turk, and also returning Myrtle Rigby Health Complex location back to a health care facility for our people. The goal was, and still is, to have regular weekly specialist clinics with other needed services for all islands. Additionally, to have all community clinics equipped with basic laboratory testing abilities and imaging capabilities, i.e., blood electrolytes, red and white blood cell counts, glucose and cholesterol testing, blood nitrogen levels, urinalysis, and are equipped with portable x-ray abilities. These technologies reveal extremely important and timely information on a person’s health status.
We all have to demand more from our health services providers, demand more accessibility, demand more diagnostic competency, demand more high dependency units, demand the availability of Intensive care capability (ICU), demand more attracting and retaining highly skilled personnel, demand increasing salaries of our health personnel. Hence, our people need to demand a high-performing health care system, “A Good Health System.”
A Peoples’ Democratic Movement government will recommence the work of enhancing our Health system to one that we all can be truly proud of, one which we have the most trust and assurance in.
So, what is the “good” health system that the PDM wants to develop for our people? A good system will be one that is organized in a way to ensure timely access to the highest attainable standard of care to all its citizens; one that has the right programs managed by competent well-paid professionals; one in which clinics provide constant preventive and curative care for the most common conditions, and primary health care in facilities or in the community where people live. A good health system under a PDM Government would ensure that our on-island hospitals deliver high-quality secondary or tertiary levels of care to increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes.
A PDM government is committed to continuing the work we started of ensuring our health services are:
- Effective – providing evidence-based healthcare services to those who need them;
- Safe – avoiding harm to people for whom the care is intended; and
- People-centred – providing care that responds to individual preferences, needs and values.
To realize the benefits of quality health care, a PDM Government will also ensure that our health services are:
- Timely – reducing waiting times and sometimes harmful delays;
- Equitable – providing care that does not vary in quality on account of constituency/Island location, and socio-economic status, ethnicity;
- Integrated – providing care that makes available the full range of health services throughout the life course, i.e. from newborn to old age.
- Efficient – maximizing the benefit of available resources and avoiding waste.
From many personal testimonies from our citizens, it can be concluded that current health system is not serving our people well. We the PDM are confident that we can deliver the health care system that our citizens need and deserve.
Hon Edwin A. Astwood
Leader of The Opposition
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.
