Residents Invited to Help Shape Montserrat’s Health Services

Montserrat residents are being invited to share their experiences of accessing healthcare and suggest improvements at three community meetings this week, beginning Tuesday, October 6 at the Look Out School Auditorium.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), supported by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is conducting community and stakeholder discussions from October 5 to 9, 2026, under the theme “Understanding Our Health, Shaping Our Future”.

The initiative seeks residents’ views on their health needs, barriers to accessing care and practical ways to strengthen prevention, primary care and services for people living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including hypertension and diabetes.

All residents are welcome to attend the public meetings, which will run from 6:00 to 7:30 pm:
– Tuesday, October 6: Look Out School Auditorium.
– Wednesday, October 7: Salem Community Centre.
– Thursday, October 8: Brades Arts and Education Centre.

Participants will be encouraged to discuss what helps them stay healthy, what makes accessing care difficult and how services could become more accessible, convenient and responsive. The interactive sessions will give residents an opportunity to share their experiences and ideas directly with the Ministry and PAHO team.

The discussions aim to include adolescents and young adults, working-age men, older adults and caregivers, people living with chronic conditions, migrant communities, faith leaders, community organisations and health workers. Particular attention will be given to the experiences of people who may not routinely use health services.

The initiative forms part of ongoing technical cooperation between MoHSS and PAHO. It complements work to define the package of health services available on island, understand the role and cost of overseas care, and improve the use of health information and screening data.

According to the Ministry, findings from the discussions will be considered alongside existing screening information, routine health data and ongoing service-planning work. The combined evidence will help identify practical priorities and inform an action framework for strengthening prevention, primary care and NCD services in Montserrat.