Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 31 March 2026 - The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), through its Bahamas Country Office, supported the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) in convening a national stakeholder consultation on 2 February 2026 to validate the draft Primary Health Care (PHC) Strategy 2026–2035. This marks an important step in advancing health system transformation and strengthening the foundation for Universal Health in TCI.
Representation ranged from senior leadership from the Ministry of Health and Human Services (MOHHS), health professionals from both public and private sectors, and other key stakeholders. The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format, with PAHO facilitating virtually from the Bahamas Country Office, while the majority of stakeholders participated in person in Providenciales. This approach enabled broad participation and reinforced collaboration between national and regional partners.
The consultation formed part of a structured, evidence-based process led by MOHHS, with technical cooperation from PAHO/WHO, to update the 2016 PHC Renewal Strategy and respond to evolving demographic, epidemiological, and service delivery challenges in TCI. Discussions focused on validating the strategic direction, prioritizing actions for the initial implementation phase, and strengthening readiness for execution.
Opening the consultation, Dr. Anton Best, Advisor, Health Systems and Services at PAHO/WHO, emphasized the strategic importance of the initiative:
“Countries that are succeeding are those that are moving decisively from Primary Health Care as a policy aspiration to Primary Health Care as an implementation engine for health system transformation.”
He further noted that the consultation was designed to move from “strategy on paper to strategy in action,” ensuring that priorities are realistic, sequenced, and aligned with system capacity.
The PHC Strategy 2026–2035 provides a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen integrated service delivery, improve workforce capacity, advance digital transformation, and enhance governance and financing. It positions PHC as the organizing approach for delivering equitable, people-centered care across the life course and for improving system performance.
PAHO/WHO commends the leadership of MOHHS and national stakeholders in advancing a practical, implementable strategy and remains committed to supporting its phased implementation and sustained impact.
