Port of Spain, 13 December 2023 (PAHO/WHO) – Dr. Gabriel Vivas Francesconi, the newly appointed PAHO/WHO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curacao, Saint Maarten, Bonnaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, made a visit to the Minister of Health of Trinidad and Tobago, the Honourable Terrence Deyalsingh.
Accompanying Dr. Vivas were Ms. Lorraine Thompson, PAHO/WHO Country Program Advisor, C who represented the Office of the PAHO Director and Dr Michelle Harris, Advisor for NCDs and Mental Health and outgoing PWR a.i.
Present at the meeting from the Ministry of Health were Mr Asif Ali, Permanent Secretary, Dr. Roshan Parasram, Chief Medical Officer, Mr Stephen Boodhram, Deputy Permanent Secretary and Ms. Anita Sohan, Director, International Cooperation Desk within the Ministry of Health.
During the visit Dr Vivas reiterated the commitment of PAHO to support the work of the national authorities to achieve key national and global targets. An agreement was made to have an early meeting in 2024 to review the 2024-2025 PAHO Biennial Work Plan, to review and update the Trinidad and Tobago Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) and to collaborate to finalize the National Strategic Health plan for Trinidad and Tobago. Minister Deyalsingh also outlined the major priorities of the Ministry of Health for 2024 which include strengthening the response to NCDs, further decentralization of mental health services, achieving the 95-95-95 HIV/AIDS targets and moving towards a voluntary system for blood donations.
