Wednesday, April 17th 2024 – On Monday the 15th April at 11 am, the Turks and Caicos AIDS  Awareness Foundation (TCAAF) unveiled their new brand to their supporters, members, the  media, government departments and partnering NGO’s. The TCAAF, which is now the Turks and  Caicos Health and Wellness Foundation (TCHWF) welcomed everyone to their new office which  is oblique to the Edward Gartland Youth Centre, Downtown, Providenciales.  

The TCHWF was founded in 2003 and is a registered non-profit organization in the TCI and a  registered 501 (c) non-profit in the United States as well. TCHWF will focus on addressing broader  health and social issues driven by the intersectionality of health and social factors, and disparities  in services in the TCI. 

At the ceremony, Dr. Dawn O’Sullivan, who provides medical care to persons living with HIV  (PLHIV) through the Foundation and will continue to be the doctor on staff for TCHWF, gave the  audience an insight on how the Foundation began. Dr. O’ Sullivan praised the board members,  staff and volunteers for the success of the Foundation, which includes building the Edward  Gartland Youth Centre. She explained that the rebranding was necessary since HIV is a chronic  disease where you can take medication and live a long and healthy life, but support is needed for  all persons living with chronic diseases and for the population that feels excluded or stigmatized.  

TCHWF will provide holistic care to these populations. The new TCHWF office is comprised of  a doctor’s office where patients can have consultations and be treated, and other comfortable  spaces where persons can relax and unwind.

Nurse Nora Tyndall briefed the attendees on the services that the Foundation currently offers, such  as the donation of a CD4 machine to the government so that patients can know their CD4 count  before seeing the doctor. Other services being offered are free medical consultations, improved  access to treatment and care, convenient access to medications, food cards, grocery distribution  and the provision of formulas to infected mothers who give birth and cannot breastfeed. Nurse  Tyndall highlighted that there is an increase in the number of pregnant women living with HIV in  the TCI. 

The new mandate of TCHWF is “Linking Lives, Transforming Communities”, the Foundation’s  mission is to expand its services to connect HIV and non-HIV persons to entities and experts that  can address varying needs. 

The Executive Director of TCHWF, Anansa Jervis, highlighted the Foundation’s “aim to promote  access to quality health services, information and education in the Turks and Caicos Islands.” Mrs.  Jervis further explained that this would mean the need to “integrate HIV services and non-HIV  services by increasing access to holistic and comprehensive health services needed for PLHIV and  persons not living with HIV.” In this regard, the TCHWF intends to provide linkage to: 

▪ The cultivation of youth empowerment and the development of life skills

▪ Health, hygiene, education and wellness strategies tailored to the needs of young women

▪ Care and support services for survivors of domestic violence 

▪ Mental health, psychosocial services and recovery support services for persons with substance use disorders. 

▪ Equitable access to HIV care and support services, addressing disparities. 

To achieve these linkages, the Foundation has held discussions with various NGO’s and  government organizations to provide the necessary services and support to persons with varying needs.

One of the Board Members of the Foundation, Giovanni Delancy, gave the closing address by  expressing thanks to God, the members, staff, media and volunteers for attending the unveiling  ceremony. He closed with “we will continue to bring awareness and education to those not only  with HIV/AIDS but other STD’s and other diseases. Let us continue to make a difference wherever  we go.”