Since the initiation of the TTHSI in February 2006, the governance structure has evolved in accordance with the implementation requirements of the various components. Initially, implementation of the programme was governed via a three-tiered structure comprising an Executive Committee, a Leadership Committee, and a programme Secretariat. The Executive Committee (comprising a Government representative, a UTT representative and a representative of Johns Hopkins Medicine International) determined the strategic direction of the programme, and was supported by a Leadership Committee with technical expertise from various Government Ministries and Johns Hopkins which facilitated decision making on the various components and provided general input and overview. Day-to-day coordination was facilitated through a Programme Secretariat, which interfaced with the various stakeholders and workgroups involved in the programme.
More recently, however, the change in the requirements from developmental and planning aspects into full fledged delivery has necessitated a reconfiguration of the governance structure to allow for more appropriate oversight of the various elements being undertaken.
Firstly, given the importance of the programme to the national community, and its potential impact on the health sector, oversight of the TTHSI has been placed under the purview of a Ministerial Committee. This committee is comprised of the Ministers of Public Administration and Information; Health; Science, Technology and Tertiary Education; Legal Affairs, and Ministers in the Ministry of Finance, supported by a Technical Advisory Group.
The Ministerial Committee will oversee all projects being implemented under the initiative, and essentially, the three categories being addressed can be further sub-divided into two distinct groups:
- activities related to education, training and basic research required to build capacity within the health sector; and
- activities related to the development and delivery of clinical programmes, clinical-related research programmes and systems development programmes targeted primarily towards the public sector
The University of Trinidad and Tobago has been mandated to pursue the activities related to education, training and basic research required to build capacity within the health sector. UTT will report its progress on these projects through its line Ministry (the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education) to the Ministerial Committee.
To facilitate the second grouping of projects which are related to services and infrastructure within the public sector, the establishment of Special Purpose State Enterprise called the Trinidad and Tobago Health Sciences Initiative Company Limited (HSIC) has been approved by Government. HSIC will fall under the portfolio of the Ministry of Health, and take responsibility for the development and delivery of clinical programmes, clinical-related research programmes and systems development programmes. HSIC will report its progress through the Ministry of Health to the Ministerial Committee. |
