CCCoP Knowledge Center

Turks and Caicos Islands

Location: Caribbean
Population: 38,718
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For almost 700 years, the Taino and Lucayan Indians were the sole residents of the islands, settling mainly in Middle Caicos and Grand Turk. In 1706, the French and the Spanish briefly captured the Turks & Caicos Islands from the Bermudians.  Four years later the British reclaimed the islands for Bermuda. Ultimately, Britain retained the island country by the end of the century as part of the Treaty of Versailles.  In 1766, after being controlled by the Spanish, French and British, Turks & Caicos became part of the Bahamas colony. After “the Great Bahamas Hurricane” devastated much of the chain of islands, the Turks & Caicos Islands became dependencies to the British Crown Colony of Jamaica. Jamaica won independence from Britain in 1962 and so Turks & Caicos then became a British Crown colony on its own and still is one today.

The government on the island has implemented comprehensive health services programs that provide a focus on lifestyle and wellness initiatives for the general population. Providenciales has medical facilities and day to day healthcare and emergency services are handled by private clinics. The Turks and Caicos established a National Health Insurance Plan in 2010. Most of the care is provided by private-public-partnership hospitals managed by Inter Health Canada, with one hospital in Providenciales and one on Grand Turk Island. The ratio of clinical personnel to the population rose for physicians from 10.8 in 2010 to 18.7 per 10,000 population in 2015, and for nurses from 30.3 in 2010 to 57.1 per 10,000 in 2015. The ratio for dentists remained unchanged at 1.8 per 10,000 population, and the ratio for allied health professionals in 2015 was 32.7 per 10,000 population.

At the end of 2017 there were a total of 514 persons living with HIV in the Turks and Caicos Islands with an estimated prevalence of 1.29% in the general population. To address the prevalence of HIV within the Turks and Caicos the Ministry of Health, Agriculture, Sports and Human Services have implemented several strategies through its Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit. Mobile HIV testing has increased where HIV testing is being done in communities. Private businesses, government offices and churches have also benefitted from these services. Antiretroviral drugs (HIV medication) have been offered free of charge in country since 2005.

There have been 2,982 infections and 23 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began. 2,911 people have recovered from COVID-19. Turks and Caicos has administered at least 54,417 doses of vaccines so far. Assuming every person needs 2 doses, about 71.2% of the country’s population has been vaccinated.

Learn More About the HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 Situation in the Turks and Caicos Islands

• COVID-19 Status: There have been 2,982 infections and 23 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began.
• HIV Prevalence: 514 people are living with HIV.
• AIDS Prevalence: 1.29% of population.
• HCV Prevalence: N/A

References

• https://turksandcaicostourism.com/turks-and-caicos-islands-history/
• https://expatfinancial.com/regions/caribbean/turks-caicos-insurance/
• https://www3.paho.org/salud-en-las-americas-2017/?p=2578
• https://www.gov.tc/pressoffice/788-world-aids-day-2018
• https://suntci.com/persons-living-with-hiv-in-tci-p5661-129.htm
• https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/countries-and-territories/turks-and-caicos/
• https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/-3/coronavirus-turks-and-caicos