By Chantalé Fletcher
TRINIDAD and Tobago through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) received US$1 million to support its response and recover from Covid-19.
The according to United Nations Resident Coordinator to T&T, Marina Walter, who spoke at a brief media conference at the UN House in Port-of-Spain on Thursday.
Walter said, “This funding comes from the India-United Nations Development Partnership Fund of $150 million US pledge by the Government of India to the United Nations which embodies the true spirit of the UN of countries, especially in countries emerging in T&T and India supporting each other the Covid-19 pandemic.”
In addition, this funding will also help to introduce robotics and telemedicine systems within the public health system in T&T over the next 12 months.
She said, “This initiative was launched just before United Nations Day on October 24 and two weeks after for the celebration of Divali.
“These celebrations also teaches us how important India is to the UN, being one of its founding members and the importance of it to T&T, where half of the population is of Indian heritage.”
Walter said “There was a space in technology to fight Covid-19 like telemedicine, consultation through automated solutions which allow patients to do routine medical consultations over the internet or to be registered and screened at a health center of hospital while they wait to be seen or vaccinated, which could help increase medical care for everyone for those who are reluctant to visit a hospital.”
She added that these technologies would also help to reduce the exposure and the burden on the country’s doctor and nurses, who can then focus on more needier cases.
Walter said, “The UN stands committed to support the government of T&T with its digital transformation plans. Health care is something that we all seek at one point, and introducing digital solutions through this space can have an almost soloistic effect on citizens.
“This is important in order for the country to keep pace with technological advancement in a rapidly changing world.”
