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Community meeting to address healthcare concerns on VG tomorrow

A community meeting to address concerns of residents with a focus on healthcare will be held on Virgin Gorda tomorrow, September 7, 2024. Photo: Facebook
Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), Minister for Health and Social Development has told VINO an all hands on deck approach is needed to combat the issue of health care in the Virgin Islands. Photo: VINO/File
Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), Minister for Health and Social Development has told VINO an all hands on deck approach is needed to combat the issue of health care in the Virgin Islands. Photo: VINO/File
CHURCH HILL ROAD, Virgin Gorda, VI- A community meeting to address concerns of residents with a focus on healthcare will be held on Virgin Gorda tomorrow, September 7, 2024.

The meeting will take place at St Mary’s Episcopal Church Hall from 6:00 PM and in attendance will be Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), Minister for Health and Social Development, a team from the Ministry of Health and Social Development, and the Chairman and management of the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA).

According to a flyer out on social media, the meeting’s focus is to discuss and address the key healthcare concerns of residents of Virgin Gorda, exchange ideas, and collaborate on potential solutions.

Public outcry

Just last Friday, August 30, 2024, Mr Revovion A. Sprauve aka 'Bucky' died after being unable to access medical attention at the Nurse Iris O'Neal (NIOC) which was closed as 24-hour operations had seized.

His death sparked public outcry and an investigation into the matter has been launched. Hon Wheatley himself has said that he and his ministry will be seriously looking into last weekend’s incident.

The BVIHSA has since resumed 24-hour operations at the NIOC.

Speaking to our newsroom, Hon Wheatley said, “I do not believe that the issue of health care on any of the sister islands is insurmountable, however, it will take an all hands on deck approach to implement solutions [including] Government, the private sector, NGOs, civic society, and individuals. This is what we hope to achieve, a synergy among all parties working towards a common goal, improved health care for all.”

12 Responses to “Community meeting to address healthcare concerns on VG tomorrow”

  • Reactionary (06/09/2024, 13:20) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    As usual this govt is only doing something after the fact and reacting. Just like paving roads after citizens had to take to the streets themselves. It’s really sad that in this case it took the death of this poor person to sound the alarm and wake up the useless politicians.
    • Greg (06/09/2024, 16:18) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      We are acting like a third-world country. As long as there are people living on these islands, there should be a medical center open every day. This gentleman died and it could have been something simple that could have saved him. But there was no staff around to render aid to him. So Sad.
  • Agreeable One (06/09/2024, 13:37) Like (15) Dislike (2) Reply
    If there is going to be real change in the way things are done in this country the sister islands need to have their own administrative body and their own budget to work with. Government as an entity is problematic, the system is very slow and weak, and the sister islands are too often afterthoughts. If nothing changes, nothing will change.
    • @Agreeable One (06/09/2024, 14:54) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      Makes total sense. Each island gets a budget and a local governing body instead of having to be dependent on people from Tortola who generally are indifferent to what goes on in the other islands.

      That said, Vincent Wheatley’s assertion that it is an “all hands on deck” issue, while possibly true, means nothing is likely to happen, unfortunately. There is also the issue of funding the facility and its staff. Perhaps Mr. Wheatley would be willing to share exactly how much is budgeted for VG health care services at tonight’s meeting.
    • LOL (06/09/2024, 16:27) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Tortola Districts just as bad
  • REACTIVE GOVERNMENT (06/09/2024, 13:46) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    TOO LATE, THE CHILD DONE DROWN
  • jack in the box (06/09/2024, 15:06) Like (17) Dislike (4) Reply
    Don't blame Vincent Dr Samuel got to go
    • black (07/09/2024, 06:32) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply

      @Jack@$$ in the box.
      This situation has existed for 40 years. This has nothing to do with Dr. Samuel this issue persisted before her and will continue after her. Until VG takes matters in her hands nothing will ever change.

      • suzie (07/09/2024, 11:13) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        But Dr. Samuel is NOT the one to fix this. Vincent can fix it but he need managers who can manage, are interested in public health and community first and not their private practices and are willing to do the changes necessary to get the system working at its maximum capability.
  • Stealth (06/09/2024, 17:06) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Fellow bloggers E. Leonard and others have noted that healthcare should be the#1 number 1 national issue. Inarguably. It is not. VI residents should have ready access to quality, affordable healthcare. Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Timely quality healthcare should not be a function of who you are or having the money to pay for it. Residents should not die for the lack of care. Ok. We are having a community meeting to determine what to do about healthcare, after the goats have bolted from the pen, the gate is being shut. What happened on VG is gross negligence, misconduct, dereliction of duty, etc, and heads should roll for. Hopefully, this unfortunate incident would markedly improve healthcare on VG and other outlying Islands and in the territory overall.
  • Styler (06/09/2024, 23:16) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    My fellow Virgin Islanders it only takes for a child to drown them the well gets close. This unfortunately incident should not have happened at all had the clinic been open. Now you all want residents input this should have been down from the completion of hospital. My condolences goes out to the entire Virgin Gorda Committee
  • smh (07/09/2024, 10:59) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Bvihsa don’t hire enough people so it will never have
    Professionals to cover all the islands at all times


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