News
Turks and Caicos Islands Launches New Project on Mosquito Control in Collaboration with London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and UK Health Security Agency
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday, 16 October 2024: The Ministry of Health and Human Services Environmental Health Department, in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has launched a ground-breaking mosquito control initiative in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). Funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), this pilot project will assess the feasibility of environmentally sustainable methods for managing mosquito populations, with the long-term goal of improving public health across the islands.
This nine-month project will identify mosquito species in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and explore eco-friendly methods for controlling their populations. By focusing on local ecological dynamics, the project seeks to inform a larger mosquito control strategy that balances public health with environmental protection.
The first phase will assess the threat of mosquito-borne diseases and evaluate breeding sites in North Caicos and Middle Caicos. A pilot survey of these sites is planned for November 2024 to guide future mosquito management efforts.
The project is co-led by distinguished experts, including Professor Jo Lines of LSHTM, Zatanya Handfield, Vector Control Coordinator TCI Environmental Health Department, and Dr Jolyon Medlock of the UKHSA. The core team is supported by Roz Taylor from LSHTM,
Alexander Vaux from UKHSA, and Bryan Manco, Assistant Director of Research and Development at the TCI Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR).
From 7 – 10 October 2024, the project team engaged with key stakeholders on the islands of Providenciales and North Caicos, facilitating important consultations with the research team. These discussions focused on the potential impact of the project, allowing for critical input from local communities and ensuring that the Turks and Caicos Islands’ unique environmental and public health priorities are fully integrated at every stage of project development.
Following these consultations, the team conducted field visits to significant mosquito breeding sites, including wetlands, ponds, swamps, and residential premises on North Caicos and Middle Caicos. These visits, guided by local experts such as Bryan Manco from the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR), Junel Blaise, DECR Nursery and Field Officer, and Christopher May, Environmental Officer from the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources Management, provided valuable insights into the ecological factors. TCI Vector Control Supervisor, Hilton Robinson and Vector Control Officer, Dwight Hall were also present, further contributing to the exploration of these ecologically important areas and providing valuable insights into human activities that promote mosquito breeding. These visits will provide vital data for the pilot survey, shaping future mosquito control efforts.
Mosquito-borne diseases pose a health challenge for the Turks and Caicos Islands, and this initiative represents a significant step toward combating these risks through innovative, ecologically sensitive methods.
Dr. Nadia Astwood, Chief Medical Officer within the Ministry of Health and Human Services, expressed her support for the initiative, stating: “This collaboration marks a significant step in safeguarding the health of our people. Mosquito-borne diseases have long been a concern for us, and this research will not only identify the current threats but also explore innovative, environmentally friendly ways to control mosquito populations. We are deeply grateful to our partners at LSHTM and UKHSA for their expertise and commitment to this cause. By embedding local knowledge and priorities, we are ensuring that the solutions developed are sustainable and tailored to the unique challenges of our islands.”
Honourable Shaun D. Malcolm, Minister of Health and Human Services, also highlighted the initiative’s importance for the nation’s public health strategy: “We are thrilled to collaborate with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the UK Health Security Agency on this ground-breaking initiative. By investing in this research now, we are taking proactive steps to protect the health of future generations. I look forward to seeing the results of this pilot project and the long-term impact it will have on our community.”
The Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Health remains steadfast in its dedication to safeguarding the public against vector-borne diseases. Through continued collaboration with regional and international partners, the Ministry is committed to maintaining robust health systems and protecting the well-being of all residents.
For additional information, please visit the Ministry of Health’s Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/.
TCIG knew from April that fuel factor could surge almost 80%; Minister says $500 cost-of-living payment was part of Government’s response
PROVIDENCIALES — The Turks and Caicos Government knew months before July’s shocking electricity bills that consumers faced a potentially massive increase in the fuel factor.
Minister of Information Technology and Energy E. Jay Saunders revealed Friday that Pelican Energy warned his Ministry in April that generation fuel costs were projected to rise from $3.09 per gallon in May to $4.79 in June and July.
That translated into a projected fuel factor jump from about 17.5 cents to 31 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of almost 80%.
Saunders said he personally advised Cabinet of the projected increase and presented options for cushioning the impact.
He characterised Government’s $500 cost-of-living payment as its “initial response” to rising fuel costs, before a separate fuel-factor subsidy was approved.
Cabinet records show Government agreed on June 24 to provide funding to mitigate the fuel-factor impact, with the relief programme approved July 8.
Eligible residential customers — those averaging less than $1,500 monthly over the previous three bills — are capped at 22 cents per kWh from July through October.
Pelican confirmed Friday that Government’s contribution was already applied to July bills, meaning the bills now triggering widespread public outrage would have been even higher without the subsidy.
Saunders did not disclose the programme’s total cost.
His admission that Government knew since April, however, raises another question amid the backlash: why were consumers not directly warned by Government about the scale of the approaching increase?
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.
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