PAHO/WHO Donates Telehealth Kits And Computers To Boost Maternal And Child Health
PAHO/WHO officially handed over telehealth kits and desktop computers to the Ministry of Health on Tuesday as part of an initiative to strengthen maternal and child health programmes.
Health Minister Dr. Lackram Bodoe said the equipment, valued at TT$280,000 or US$41,000 equivalent, will support two critical areas: eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis and expanding telehealth services to underserved communities.
The donation includes ten all-in-one telehealth kits, eight maternal-foetal monitors, and eight echocardiographs (ECGs), which are expected to enable remote diagnosis and management of cardiovascular and communicable diseases, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities.
Additionally, ten desktop computers, funded by the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, were provided to support the EMTCT programme.
Speaking at the ceremony on Tuesday morning, Health Minister, Dr. Lackram Bodoe, noted that the contribution represents another example of PAHO’s support for T&T to build a stronger, more equitable, and resilient health system.
« And I know there are still some gaps that need to be closed. This support aligns with our national goal of maintaining the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis whilst advancing the broader EMTCT plus strategy. »
He pointed out that the telehealth kits will allow doctors to perform a range of assessments in rural areas.
« These all-in-one portable units will bring high-quality healthcare to rural and remote areas, enabling services such as cardiovascular assessments, prenatal ultrasounds, and the diagnosis of communicable diseases like tuberculosis. In a small island-developing state like ours, this means that distance will no longer determine the quality of care a patient receives. »
PAHO/WHO Representative for T&T, Dr. Gabriel Vivas Francesconi, said the donation is part of a broader push to make healthcare more accessible and affordable.
« This handover is about linking data to decisions, technology to trust, and communities to care. It is about ensuring that a mother in a rural village and a child in an urban centre both have the same chance to have a healthy life. »
Advisor of Health Systems and Services at the PAHO/WHO T&T Country Office, Dr. Shellon Bovell, noted that the equipment will complement these technological advances with training and human resource support to maximise impact.
« It will support Trinidad and Tobago’s progress towards achieving our sustainable EMTCT validation, and I know a number of countries have been validated, and Trinidad and Tobago, I’m proud to say, that we are also on our way. »
The ten desktop computers are expected to enhance data collection and analysis, helping healthcare workers monitor progress and sustain EMTCT goals through improved surveillance systems.
