AGP Executive Report

HIV Prevention: Barbados has been certified by WHO and PAHO for eliminating mother-to-child HIV transmission as a public health problem. The island reported no new infant infections from 2022 to 2024, with broad access to prenatal care, testing and treatment. Regional Health Leadership: Dr. Eldonna Boisson, who supported health-system and primary-care work in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, has been appointed PAHO/WHO representative for Jamaica, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. Public Healthcare: Turks and Caicos passed legislation to establish a Health Services Authority, bringing public services including primary and secondary care, emergency services, behavioural health and pharmaceuticals under a more coordinated structure. Nutrition and Food Security: Food for Thought’s World Food Day fair at Clement Howell High School served more than 500 students and teachers, sharing food samples and nutrition information while collecting breakfast donations for school food banks. Community Wellness: The annual Surf and Turf fundraiser has raised more than $1 million since 2006 for the Turks & Caicos Health and Wellness Foundation and youth initiatives.

Regional Health Leadership: PAHO/WHO has appointed Dr. Eldonna Boisson to represent Jamaica, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. She previously led the organization’s work in The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, supporting stronger health systems and disease prevention. Food Safety: Tourism workers and students in TCI received sponsored training in food safety and HACCP, a globally recognized certification. Healthcare Reform: Parliament passed legislation to establish a Health Services Authority, bringing public services including emergency care, mental health, rehabilitation and pharmacy procurement under one authority. Community Nutrition: Food for Thought’s World Food Day fair shared nutrition information with more than 500 students and teachers, while a food drive collected breakfast supplies for school food banks. Health Milestone: Barbados has eliminated mother-to-child HIV transmission as a public health problem; no such infections were reported among infants born there from 2022 to 2024. Local Giving: Grant Thornton’s Surf and Turf raised $105,000 this year, taking its total donations above $1 million for the Turks & Caicos Health and Wellness Foundation.

Regional Public Health: PAHO/WHO has appointed Dr. Eldonna Boisson to represent Jamaica, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. She previously led the organization’s work in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, supporting stronger health systems and primary care. HIV Prevention: Barbados has eliminated mother-to-child HIV transmission as a public health problem, with no such infections reported among infants born from 2022 to 2024. Public Healthcare: Turks and Caicos Parliament has passed legislation establishing a Health Services Authority to coordinate services ranging from primary and emergency care to mental health, rehabilitation and pharmacy procurement. Nutrition and Wellness: Food for Thought’s World Food Day fair at Clement Howell High School served more than 500 students and teachers, shared nutrition information and collected breakfast donations for school food banks. Community Health: Grant Thornton’s Surf and Turf has raised more than $1 million over 20 years for the Turks & Caicos Health and Wellness Foundation, including support for the Edward C. Gartland Youth Centre.

Public Healthcare: Parliament has passed the Health Services Authority Bill 2026, setting up an authority to coordinate public services including primary and hospital care, emergency medical services, oral and behavioural health, rehabilitation, elderly care and pharmacy procurement. Regional Health Leadership: PAHO/WHO appointed Ian A. Stein as its representative for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos. He took up the role on October 22, bringing more than 30 years of public health experience. Nutrition and Food Security: Food for Thought’s World Food Day fair at Clement Howell High School reached more than 500 students and teachers with food samples and nutrition information. A food drive also collected breakfast staples for school food banks in Providenciales and Grand Turk. Community Wellness: Grant Thornton’s Surf and Turf charity event has raised more than $1 million over 20 years for the Turks & Caicos Health and Wellness Foundation, supporting youth and wellness initiatives.

Regional Health Recovery: A year after Hurricane Melissa devastated western Jamaica, UN agencies continue supporting food, water, sanitation and health services as communities rebuild. Public Healthcare: Turks and Caicos passed legislation to establish a Health Services Authority overseeing services from primary and emergency care to behavioural health, rehabilitation and pharmacy procurement. Regional Health Leadership: Ian A. Stein took up the PAHO/WHO representative role for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos on October 22, bringing more than 30 years of public-health experience. Nutrition and Food Security: Food for Thought’s World Food Day fair at Clement Howell High School served more than 500 students and teachers, while a food drive collected breakfast items for school food banks. Community Wellness: Grant Thornton’s Surf and Turf has raised more than $1 million since 2006 for the Turks & Caicos Health and Wellness Foundation, including $105,000 this year.

Public Healthcare: Parliament passed the Health Services Authority Bill, creating a framework to bring public services — including primary and secondary care, emergency response, oral health and pharmaceuticals — under one statutory authority. Nutrition: Food for Thought’s World Food Day fair at Clement Howell High School reached more than 500 students and teachers with food samples and nutrition information, while a food drive collected breakfast items for school food banks. Regional Health: Ian A. Stein took up the PAHO/WHO representative role for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, bringing more than 30 years of public health experience. Community Wellness: Grant Thornton’s Surf and Turf charity event has raised more than $1 million over two decades for the Turks & Caicos Health and Wellness Foundation, supporting youth and wellness initiatives. Food Safety: Tourism-sector workshops also provided HACCP training for local food-service staff, with internationally recognised course materials and assessments.

Public Healthcare: Parliament has passed the Health Services Authority Bill 2026, setting up a statutory body to coordinate public care across the Islands, from primary and emergency services to behavioural health, rehabilitation and pharmacy procurement. Regional Health Leadership: Ian A. Stein took up his post as PAHO/WHO representative for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos on October 22, bringing more than 30 years of public-health experience. Food and Nutrition: Food for Thought’s World Food Day fair at Clement Howell High School reached more than 500 students and teachers with food samples and nutrition information, while a food drive gathered breakfast items for school food banks. Community Wellness: Grant Thornton’s Surf and Turf charity event has raised more than $1 million since 2006 for the Turks & Caicos Health and Wellness Foundation, including $105,000 this year.

Regional Health Leadership: Ian A. Stein took up his role as PAHO/WHO representative for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands on October 22. He brings more than 30 years of public health experience. Community Wellness: Grant Thornton’s annual Surf and Turf raised $105,000 this year, taking its total to more than $1 million for the Turks & Caicos Health and Wellness Foundation, which built the Edward C. Gartland Youth Centre. Recovery and Resilience: A new profile revisits Yale graduate Ali Truwit’s recovery after a shark attack while snorkeling in Turks and Caicos in 2023. Her friend applied a tourniquet, and Truwit later had her lower leg amputated; she now shares the strategies that helped her rebuild her life.

Regional Health Leadership: Ian A. Stein took up the PAHO/WHO representative role for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos on October 22. He brings more than 30 years of public health experience, including work on health-system resilience and universal coverage. Community Wellness: Grant Thornton’s Surf and Turf raised $105,000 this year, pushing its total contributions above $1 million for the Turks & Caicos Health and Wellness Foundation and its youth and wellness work. Wellness Services: Island House has launched in-villa spa treatments in Providenciales, including massages and facials using island ingredients such as coconut, aloe and sea salt.

Community Health: Grant Thornton’s Surf and Turf raised $105,000 this year, bringing its total to more than $1 million for the Turks & Caicos Health and Wellness Foundation, which supports health, wellness and youth initiatives. Regional Health Leadership: Ian A. Stein took up his role as PAHO/WHO Representative for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands on October 22. He brings more than 30 years of public health experience. Screening Results: A free iCARE mission in Providenciales served 4,815 people. Of those screened, nearly eight in 10 had higher-than-normal blood pressure, about one in seven had dangerously high readings, and roughly one in three had elevated blood sugar. Vision checks found signs of problems in 420 schoolchildren. These are screening results, not estimates for the whole population; follow-up checks and care are important.

Community Wellness: Grant Thornton’s Surf and Turf has raised more than $1 million since 2006 for the Turks & Caicos Health and Wellness Foundation. This year’s event brought in $105,000 to support health, wellness and youth initiatives. Regional Health Leadership: Ian A. Stein became PAHO/WHO representative for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos on October 22, bringing more than 30 years of public health experience. Screening Findings: A free Providenciales health mission checked 1,010 people’s blood pressure; nearly eight in 10 had higher-than-normal readings, and about one in seven had dangerously high results. Vision checks also flagged possible problems in 420 schoolchildren. The ministry advised people with concerning results to seek follow-up care; the screenings do not show rates across the wider population. Wellness Services: Island House has launched an in-villa spa service on Providenciales, offering massages, facials and body treatments using local ingredients such as coconut, aloe and sea salt.

Regional Health Leadership: Ian A. Stein became PAHO/WHO representative for The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos on October 22. He brings more than 30 years of public health experience, including work on emergency responses and stronger health systems. Screening Results: A free Providenciales health mission found high blood pressure in nearly eight in 10 people screened; about one in seven had dangerously high readings. Roughly one in three had elevated blood sugar, and 420 schoolchildren showed signs of vision problems. The Ministry says people with concerning results received advice and referrals; the figures reflect those screened, not the wider population. Wellness Services: Island House has launched an in-villa spa service on Providenciales, offering massages, facials and body treatments using local ingredients such as coconut, aloe and sea salt.

Regional Health Leadership: Ian A. Stein took up his role as PAHO/WHO representative for The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos on October 22. He brings more than 30 years of public health experience, including work on emergency response and stronger health systems. Screening Findings: A free Providenciales health mission found high blood pressure in nearly eight in 10 people screened, dangerously high readings in about one in seven, and vision concerns among 420 schoolchildren. The ministry says people with concerning results received advice and referrals; follow-up checks are important, since one screening does not establish a diagnosis.

Regional Health Leadership: Ian A. Stein became PAHO/WHO representative for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos on October 22, bringing more than 30 years of public-health experience. Screening Results: A free Providenciales health mission found nearly eight in 10 of 1,010 people screened had higher-than-normal blood pressure, with about one in seven recording dangerously high readings. Vision checks also flagged possible problems in 420 schoolchildren. These are results among those screened, not estimates for the whole population; follow-up care is important. Wellness Services: Island House has launched in-villa spa treatments on Providenciales, including massages, facials and body rituals using local ingredients.**

Regional Health Leadership: Ian A. Stein took up his post as PAHO/WHO representative for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos on October 22. He brings more than 30 years of public health experience, including work on emergency responses and stronger health systems. Screening Findings: A free Providenciales health mission checked blood pressure for 1,010 people and blood sugar for 940. Nearly eight in 10 blood pressure checks were above normal, about one in seven were dangerously high, and roughly one in three blood sugar tests showed elevated levels. Vision screening also flagged concerns among 420 schoolchildren. The results reflect those screened, not the wider population; people with concerning readings received advice and referrals for follow-up.

Regional Health Leadership: Ian A. Stein took up his role as PAHO/WHO Representative for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands on October 22. He brings more than 30 years of public health experience. Health Screening: A free Providenciales health mission found high blood pressure in nearly eight in 10 people screened; about one in seven had dangerously high readings, and roughly one in three had elevated blood sugar. Vision checks also flagged problems in 420 schoolchildren. The Ministry urged people with concerning results to follow up with local healthcare providers, noting the screenings do not represent population-wide rates. Maritime Emergency: Four people were taken to Cheshire Hall Medical Centre after a boat collision near Dellis Cay on October 16. One man died from his injuries.