The Ministry of Health has utilised strategies to create opportunities for public, private, and civil society.
In Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and its divisions use a variety of approaches to operationalise the multisectoral collaboration approach. These include:
- Cabinet committees
- Intersectoral committees, working groups, and joint actions
The MOH has utilised all of the above strategies to create opportunities for public, private, and civil society participation in the response to NCDs, and to catalyse development of healthy public policies in all sectors of government. Some mechanisms utilised include:
- Cabinet Appointed Committees using a ‘Whole of Government’ approach, which involves joint action by public sector, private sector, NGOs, and civil society groups to establish Committees of Cabinet with mandates in relation to NCD prevention, management, and control. These include:
- Technical Advisory Committee on Chronic Diseases
- Partners Forum Committee for Action on Chronic Diseases (the Partners’ Forum)
- Committee on the Social Determinants of Health
- Ministry of Heath Committees with representation from different public sector ministries and agencies:
- The Quality Council
- Tobacco Control Committee
- Smoking Cessation Sub-Committee
- Collaboration with NGOs and Civil Society groups: At the programmatic level, the MOH has been collaborating with a wide range of civil society partners in their outreach programmes to raise awareness and provide increased access to screening for NCDs risk factors. Several NGOs work in partnership with the MOH and the RHAs to support the implementation of health promotion campaigns, e.g. Fight the Fat and Check Yuhself… Know Your Number campaigns, the National Wellness Fest and Caribbean Wellness Campaign. Engagement of Civil Societies: The MOH provides funding to several NGOs to assist in NCD prevention activities at the primary health level in communities. Further many other NGOs and private sector organisations collaborate with the MOH, its Vertical Services, RHAs and the THA in bring prevention and public education programs to communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago.
