The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has formalised a partnership with the United States-based Starkey Hearing Foundation (SHF), signing a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening hearing-health services across the country and the wider Caribbean.
The agreement was signed at the Parliamentary Complex by Minister of Health Dr. Lackram Bodoe and Mr. Richard S. Brown, President and Board Chair of the Starkey Hearing Foundation.
The MOU covers cooperation in hearing-health screening, training and capacity-building, technical support, community outreach, and improved access to hearing-assistive technology.
Dr. Bodoe described the signing as a significant step toward improving support for persons living with hearing impairment, particularly children, noting the partnership would help build local capacity and broaden access to care for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Brown, for his part, reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to sustainable, community-based hearing healthcare, and expressed interest in using the Trinidad and Tobago partnership as a springboard for broader regional cooperation across the Caribbean.
The deal takes on added urgency given that an estimated 8,000 persons in Trinidad and Tobago are currently deaf or hard of hearing.
The Starkey Hearing Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Starkey, one of the world’s leading hearing-aid manufacturers, and operates internationally through training, screening, and technology access programmes.
The Ministry of Health said it would continue engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure the partnership complements existing national health systems.