Primary Healthcare Initiative

Recognising that people experience poverty in multiple ways, with lack of access to good healthcare identified as one of the three key indicators (2019 Multidimensional Poverty Index), UNDP is working closely with the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Trinidad and Tobago, to improve the quality of care offered to all patients in the public healthcare system.

Phase II of the joint MOH/UNDP project: Management Intervention at RHAs to Improve the Delivery of Healthcare Services - is working to raise the overall standard and delivery of healthcare services by strengthen RHA management capacity, Emergency Room protocols and practices, and procurement systems - with regular training at all levels, from the Board and Senior Executive, to medical professionasl and administrative personnel.

Emergency healthcare as first point of contact

Emergency Departments (EDs) are often the first point of contact with the health system for many patients in Trinidad and Tobago and the gateway into the public hospitals. The work to strengthen their efficiency  includes focusing on priority areas in infrastructure, medical equipment, pharmaceutical support and customer experience. The project also includes Emergency Care training for all ED staff in main hospitals and district health facilities across the country; Basic Life Support training for all ED doctors, nurses and hospital ambulance personnel; and stress management training to create a more enabling environment for staff. .

Bolstering the COVID-19 response

With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project also moved quickly to support the  national response, facilitating the recruitment of additional nurses for the parallel healthcare system established by the MoH for the detection and treatment of COVID-19 cases. Assistance has also been provided in the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE), medical equipment to help provide better support for critically ill patients and Cepheid SARS-COV-2 tests to boost the level of nationwide testing. In addition, support for families impacted by the lockdown will be provided through TV programmes and online platforms, addressing psychosocial and physical health concerns and coping strategies.