Minister of Health Honourable Dr. Lackram Bodoe, Minister in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Rishad Seecheran, PAHO/WHO Trinidad and Tobago Country Office, Dr. Gabriel Vivas Francesconi, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Ms. Erica Fortune, Mr. Juan Carlos Rico, Advisor on Public Health Data Engineering, Information Systems and Digital Health Unit, EIH and Dr. Shellon Bovell, Advisor Health Systems and Services, PAHO/WHO Trinidad and Tobago Country Office.
Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 9 July 2026 (PAHO) - We are pleased to announce the successful conclusion of the Public Health Datathon, a transformative initiative to identify, analyze, and connect health information systems across Trinidad and Tobago.
This achievement underscores the country’s strong commitment to addressing health information system challenges and advancing digital health transformation. We sincerely thank the Ministry of Health, led by the Honourable Dr. Lackram Bodoe; the Regional Health Authorities (RHAs); and the PAHO/WHO Trinidad and Tobago Country Office, led by Dr. Gabriel Vivas Francesconi.
The initiative convened high-level authorities, technical experts, and frontline health workers from the Ministry of Health, the five Regional Health Authorities (RHAs), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), and the University of the West Indies (UWI).
The Datathon provided an interactive, face-to-face collaborative space that went beyond traditional presentations. Participants completed hands-on exercises to map existing health databases, identify critical data silos, and design more efficient information flows.
“Health systems today are not suffering from a lack of data; the challenge is turning large volumes of information into clear, reliable, and actionable intelligence,” said Dr. Gabriel Vivas Francesconi, PAHO/WHO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago and the Dutch Caribbean, during his opening remarks. “This Datathon is an opportunity to move beyond data collection and build an integrated information ecosystem.”
More than a technology initiative, the Datathon served as a dynamic exercise in collaboration and joint problem-solving. Decision-makers, technical experts, and health professionals from across the country came together around a shared goal: strengthening health information systems to improve health outcomes.
Facilitated by Juan Carlos Diaz of PAHO’s Information Systems and Digital Health Unit (EIH) and Dr Shellon Bovell of the PAHO/WHO Trinidad and Tobago Country Office, the workshop emphasized practical solutions. Multidisciplinary teams worked together to address key challenges, including:
- Standardizing data collection tools across RHAs to improve interoperability.
- Addressing legal and logistical barriers to shifting from paper-based records to digital formats.
- Identifying workforce gaps in data analytics and strengthening a culture of data use among health workers.
- Establishing strong governance frameworks to protect patient privacy and enhance cybersecurity.
A key outcome of the event was the collaborative development of a strategic roadmap. Participants used matrices to prioritize immediate actions, including staff training and data standardization, alongside longer-term goals such as a fully interoperable national health architecture and the introduction of a unique National Health ID.
This initiative highlights Trinidad and Tobago’s strong commitment to the Pan American Digital Health Roadmap (PH4H). PAHO/WHO remains committed to supporting the Ministry of Health in implementing the identified solutions and building a more resilient, equitable, and data-driven national health system.
