A Statement from the Honourable Terrence Deyalsingh, Minister of Health on the passing of Professor Courtenay Bartholomew
Port of Spain, 8 May 2021: It is with sadness that I offer condolences, on behalf of myself, my family and all of us at the Ministry of Health to the family and loved ones of Professor Courtenay Bartholomew ORTT. Professor Bartholomew’s distinguished career was marked by trailblazing health research in the areas of HIV/AIDS, Cancer, Hepatitis A and B and scorpion sting venom.
In the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Professor Bartholomew founded the Medical Research Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago (MRFTT), which is currently the largest HIV/AIDS clinic in the country. The longstanding relationship between the Ministry of Health and MRFTT continues to this day. This partnership has redounded to the successful treatment of thousands of patients, bringing Trinidad and Tobago within range of the achievement of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 HIV treatment target.