“What’s more important is not just the physical structure; it’s what is going on inside.”
The words of Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh, as he referenced the successful construction of hospitals in Point Fortin, Arima, Sangre Grande, and Port of Spain General Hospital’s Central Block – and the implementation of technological and policy interventions that have improved the health system and the health of citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.
Reflecting on the National Health Agenda on TTT’s NOW Morning Show, Minister Deyalsingh communicated one of the Ministry of Health’s most notable achievements: the Directorate of Women’s Health which implemented policies and training that facilitated a reduction in complications and deaths associated with postpartum bleeding, pre-eclampsia, and diabetic pregnancy.
“I think the proudest achievement was the reduction in maternal mortality rates, which we were supposed to achieve by 2030 according to the UN SDG or Sustainable Development Goals. We started to hit those figures, not in 2030 because 2030 hasn’t come, but in 2018. So, we started to hit those figures where preventable maternal deaths could be largely avoided.”
Minister Deyalsingh added that another major revolutionary intervention is the application of technology and AI, which enables a “one patient, one record, one view” patient-centred approach to healthcare delivery.
“Those days are largely over now because we have introduced a system where the doctors and nurses can view all your radiological images across the country. We can now view your lab results, your blood works across the country. Thirdly, the introduction of e-prescriptions. So, the doctor doesn’t have to physically write out a prescription. One of the biggest complaints of the healthcare sector over the years – and why patients have to wait long in clinics is lost files, these paper files. We are now digitising those.”
In addition to these achievements in the last decade, the Ministry of Health has recorded a marked stabilisation in the population’s health in relation to Non-Communicable Diseases.