C-TECH DELIVERS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT PROJECT TO THE REGION WITH OUTSTANDING RESULTS
MEDIA RELEASE
Kingston, Jamaica, 28 April 2023 – The Caribbean Training and Education for Health (C-TECH) has successfully concluded the Supporting the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers in the Region project. Launched last year in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the project was implemented in Jamaica and 11 other countries, with a total of 860 health and social workers benefiting from the project’s activities.
The project aimed to address the mental health crisis faced by frontline health workers during the pandemic, who reported increased levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout. C-TECH’s mental health initiative provided access to mental health support tools and information, including monthly self-care webinars, professional courses in leadership and wellbeing, and therapeutic and counseling services.
With additional funding from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), the project expanded to the OECS, benefiting an additional 5,000 healthcare workers in the region. The project’s activities empowered healthcare workers to prioritize their mental health and wellbeing with professional development courses that focused on leadership and wellbeing. The project also specifically focused on supporting women healthcare workers, with 193 women receiving professional certification in the Leadership and Management in Health Course.
The project’s success is evident in the multiple impacts reported by beneficiaries, including their capacity to prioritize their mental health and wellbeing and access to mental health services. “My participation in the program has been a rich experience, but it also came at a time when I did not realize I was near burnout. Completing the wellbeing course exposed me to other ways of coping and also gave me the opportunity to receive care as the caregiver. I had also recommended it to other colleagues who received support,” commented a beneficiary of the project.
At the close-out event, C-TECH acknowledged the support of the High Commission of Canada and US Government funders, particularly the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), for their kind funding and support, making it possible to deliver this well-needed service to healthcare workers in the region.
“At C-TECH, we are committed to supporting the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers and overall workforce development. We firmly believe that a healthy workforce is essential to the success of any healthcare system. Our hope is to continue providing these much-needed services for as long as possible,” said C-TECH’s Executive Director, Dr. Natalie-Irving Mattocks.
The Executive Director also stated that although the project’s outreach to the OECS has come to an end due to limited funding, healthcare workers in Jamaica will still have access to mental health services.
The event was attended by Her Excellency Emina Tudakovic, High Commissioner of Canada, and Dr. Shahini Gravillis, Technical Specialist in Social Development Division from the OECS, joined virtually. They both expressed high praise for the project and the partnership.
About C-TECH
The Caribbean Training and Education Center for Health (C-TECH) supports countries in the region in their efforts to successfully address health workforce and health system challenges. C-TECH has been implementing innovative, locally driven healthcare programmes in the Caribbean for the past 17 years, focusing on health systems strengthening, developing health workforces and strengthening the response for people with non-communicable diseases. C-TECH is an autonomous entity that is part of the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) partner network.
About the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI)
The Canada Fund Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) is a program supporting small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the High Commission of Canada in Jamaica. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.
For more information about C-TECH, please visit their website at www.ctech-caribbean.org.
Contact: Project queries: tdmattocks@ctech-caribbean.org
Tel: 876-466-8131
General queries: info@ctech-caribbean.org
Caribbean Training and Education Center for Health (C-TECH) 17 Ruthven Road, Kingston 10
Office: 876.906.4294 or 876.754.8401