Turks and Caicos Islands

5.4. Human Health
5.4.1. Policy
The Public and Environmental Health Ordinance is the main legislation that governs health care through
maintenance of environmental quality which includes water resources, the land and the air, housing quality
and food safety. The Water and Sewer Ordinance addresses sewerage disposal but the Government of
Turks and Caicos (2003) recommended that penalties be implemented to reduce pollution of water bodies
that target the individual, businesses and international shipping agencies. It also highlighted the need for
more explicit regulations to deal with sewage disposal. The Strategic Health Plan 2006-2010 in Turks and
Caicos Islands was one of seven key documents devised to develop the socio-economic framework of the
government. The Strategy for Action to Implement the Environment Charter of the Turks and Caicos, in
addressing areas of environmental concern also addressed some issues related to climate change and
variability. These included invasive species and port environmental security, mosquito control,
establishment of policies to address poverty and unemployment and addressing illegal immigration and
substandard housing (Government of Turks and Caicos Islands, 2003).
The National Socio-economic Development Framework (NSEDF) 2008-2017 is the most current document
mapping the development of social concerns in the territory. The expenditure for the period 2008 to 2017
for social services has been estimated at US $1,210,176,484 or 60.23% of the programme budget which
includes other areas such as infrastructure, information and communication technology, national security
and environmental management. For health programmes specifically, the estimated budget is 67% of the
social services allocation, or 40% of the entire NSEDF budget (Kairi Consultants Limited, 2008). These
expected investments do not include expenditure related upgrading the health care system and the
provision of affordable housing. The framework makes provisions for the development of an Integrated
Health Information System with an estimated cost of US $872,000 and for Health Institutional Capacity
Building at a cost of US $3,774,300. It also outlines other projects under the health sector which include
(Kairi Consultants Limited, 2008):
“Establishment of an effective system for rapid airlift of patients to secondary and tertiary health
care facilities
Preparation of Health Disaster Policy and Management Plans
Modification of anti-poverty strategies with the findings of the NALC and socio-economic conditions
within the country”.
Under other subsections other provisions were made, for example Flood Alleviation and Drainage
Improvement programme which is a project under Infrastructural Projects and would help alleviate
flooding and as a result reduce the risk of vector borne diseases and diseases likely to be spread by rodents.
The Integrated Sustainable Waste Management System (ISWMS) and IWCM are also important in disease
prevention and control. Finally, the NSEDF identified climate change as a priority area and addressed the
need for a Climate Change Adaptation Policy and Action Plan for the Turks and Caicos Islands which was
expected to commence in 2008, but it did not give a sectoral breakdown of the intended objectives of this
policy and action plan (Kairi Consultants Limited, 2008).
In terms of initiatives specifically addressing climate change and the health sector, the Turks and Caicos
Islands Climate Change Green Paper identified a number of adaption strategies relevant to the health
sector which are as follows:
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