Ministry of Health ( Trinidad and Tobago)

The Ministry of Health is the national authority charged with oversight of the entire health system in Trinidad and Tobago. It plays a central role in the protection of the population’s health and in ensuring that all organisations and institutions that produce health goods and services conform to standards of safety.

Our Vision

The Ministry of Health is a people-centred, caring, proactive institution that assures standards of excellence are achieved by all stakeholders that promote, protect and improve the health status of the people of Trinidad and Tobago. 

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide effective leadership for the health sector by focusing on evidence-based policy making; planning; monitoring; evaluation; collaboration and regulation. The Ministry of Health establishes national priorities for health and ensures an enabling environment for the delivery of a broad range of high quality, people-centred services from a mix of public and private providers.


Our Core Values
The critical values required to ensure accomplishment and fulfilment of our Vision and Mission are:
 

Professionalism
We will ensure the most efficient and effective delivery of health services by trained and competent health personnel.
Total Quality
Commitment to excellence in our health care systems and all services.
Client-centeredness
We emphasize the delivery of health services that are responsive to consumer needs and preferences.
Evidence-based
Relying upon research and information-driven decision-making at all levels.
Visionary
Providing proactive leadership to the sector.

How We Work
Responsibility for the provision of health care services in Trinidad and Tobago was devolved from the Ministry of Health to Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) with the passing of the Regional Health Authorities Act No. 5 in 1994. RHAs are autonomous bodies that own and operate health facilities in their respective Regions.

There are currently five (5) RHAs which deliver public health care services to the population which include the:

Easter Regional Health Authority (ERHA)
North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA)
North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA)
South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA)
Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA)

The Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) falls under the purview of the Tobago House Assembly.

While the Ministry of Health does not directly run health facilities, it is required to play a key role in ensuring that they are properly run, by setting policies, goals and targets for regions based on assessment of real health needs.

Improving Health Care Management
The Ministry of Health is firmly dedicated to continuously improving public health by increasing our resources to meet health care needs through:

Significant improvements in the management and delivery of Emergency Services.
Adoption of a comprehensive and strategic approach towards the development of human resources for the health sector.
Ensuring that there is synergy and accountability through the institutional strengthening of the Regional Health Authorities and our Vertical Services.