Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, 11 November 2020 (PAHO/WHO)—On Tuesday 10th November 2020, the Pan American Health Organization handed over 8 laptops along with 150 jump drives to the Mental Health Unit of the Ministry of Health, Trinidad and Tobago. These will strengthen capacity for data collection and delivery of mental health services, with an emphasis on youth and suicide prevention at the Regional Health Authorities and within the Ministry of Health.
Additionally, another laptop was provided to the Occupational Health and Safety Unit to assess the occupational health and safety risk of healthcare workers. The expected outcome is that the information gathered will be used in the development of targeted interventions and appropriate communication messages for healthcare workers.
PAHO also provided technical support to aid in the Ministry of Health’s efforts to implement the HEARTS initiative which was officially launched in Trinidad and Tobago on 30 July 2019. The HEARTS Initiative is a WHO model for cardiovascular disease risk management that focuses on improving the management of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia at the primary healthcare level. Thirty-two thousand Health Lifestyle Diaries and Blood Pressure Trackers, 10 blood pressure pull ups banners and 50,000 flyers on the accurate ways to measure blood pressure were donated, addressing key components of the HEARTS model: promotion of self-management and providing healthcare workers with continuous reminders of standard blood pressure measurement to obtain accurate readings.
These items were purchased through Canadian and German grants, as well as PAHO grant funds for the HEARTS in the Americas.
Present at this handing over were The Honorable Terrence Deyalsingh, Minister of Health; Dr. Roshan Parasram, Chief Medical Officer; and Dr. Erica Wheeler, PAHO/WHO Representative.
