By Nalini Sudama

THERE is a re-emergence of sexually transmitted disease syphilis in Trinidad and Tobago.

This was disclosed by Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe on Tuesday.

He was speaking during a handover ceremony for telehealth equipment held at the Ministry of Health main building in Port of Spain.

Dr Bodoe said, “Why do we still do testing for syphilis? Because it had become, you know, so less frequent. But now there’s a re-emergence.

We have to be ever more vigilant in terms of preventing and treating mothers, but also preventing mother-to-child transmission, not only in HIV, but in the area of syphilis as well.”

Trinidad and Tobago received $280,000 worth of equipment from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO.

The equipment includes 10 multifunction telehealth kits to deal with cardiovascular and communicable disease, eight maternal-fetal monitors and eight echocardiographs (ECGs).

“All in One” Telehealth Kits contain the basic equipment needed to set up telehealth services in the field, including in rural and hard to reach communities.

Dr Bodoe said the all-in-one portable units will enhance the delivery of high-quality healthcare in rural and remote communities, enabling services such as cardiovascular assessments, prenatal ultrasounds and the diagnosis of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis.

The equipment was formally handed over by PAHO/WHO Representative Dr Gabriel Vivas Francesconi to Dr Bodoe in the presence of  Minister in the Ministry of Health Dr Rishad Seecheran along with other officials from the ministry and PAHO.

Under the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, ten computers were also funded to improve healthcare system for use in the programme for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, syphilis, Chagas disease, and hepatitis B.