The Cayman Islands Government has begun moving the Public Health Unit from the Health Services Authority to the Ministry of Health, Environment and Sustainability.
The aim of the transition is to make it easier to connect health data with national policies and decisions.
In a press release on 23 April, health minister Katherine Ebanks-Wilks said: “This transition is about doing what is in the best interest of the Cayman Islands and the wellbeing of our people.
“Strengthening the public health system was a commitment this government made, and it is a commitment we are delivering on. It has been a clear priority for the ministry.”
The minister explained that bringing public health into the ministry connects data, policy and planning more directly.
“This helps us better monitor population health, respond to emerging risks and ensure prevention and preparedness are part of national decision-making,” she said.
“It also strengthens accountability and supports evidence-based policy across government.”
Public health is about preventing illness, tracking diseases and protecting the health of the community.
This includes work such as vaccination programmes, monitoring outbreaks like dengue or COVID-19, collecting health data and identifying risks such as rising rates of diabetes or heart disease.
Ministry of Health chief officer Tamara Ebanks said the transition will be implemented through a structured process designed to maintain continuity of services and strengthen coordination across the health system.
“Our priority is to ensure that public health programmes and services continue without interruption,” she said.
“The ministry will work closely with Public Health staff and with our partners at the Health Services Authority to support a phased transition that maintains strong collaboration across the health system.”
Current public health services will continue as normal. This includes vaccinations, disease tracking and health protection programmes.
The Health Services Authority will continue to provide clinical care, including hospital services, testing and treatment.
Public health teams will keep working closely with Health Services Authority doctors, nurses and laboratories.
Chief medical officer Dr Hilary Wolf said strong surveillance and epidemiology are central to protecting population health and supporting informed decision-making.
“Public health surveillance and epidemiology provide the information needed to identify risks, monitor disease trends and guide prevention strategies,” she said.
“Strengthening the public health function within government supports systematic collection and analysis of national data, helping ensure that national health policy, planning, programmes, and emergency preparedness are guided by evidence and clinical expertise.”
The move will happen in stages to avoid disruption and allow time to put the right people, systems and processes in place, the press release said.
