'Healthcare committee' on VG expresses concerns & demands answers
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According to a press release on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, the Committee is “deeply concerned about the lack of representation and follow-through on critical funding requests made by the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) to the Minister of Health and Social Development as well as The Government of the Virgin Islands.”
The requests, according to the release, were made through the Standing Finance Committee process and through independent meetings, however, were not given priority and hence not funded.
BVIHSA outlined urgent financial need in 2023/2024 budget
According to the committee, the BVIHSA outlined the urgent need for financial support to address significant operational deficits and capital expenditures affecting health clinics in the Virgin Islands inclusive of Virgin Gorda during the 2023/2024 budget discussions last year.
They said the BVIHSA requested an annual subsidy of two million dollars to cover operating deficits of community clinics and capital expenditure assistance of $384, 400.00 for critical repairs to the leaking roof of the Nurse Iris O’Neal Clinic.
The committee accused the Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Vincent O Wheatley (R9) and the Cabinet of their apparent little to no attempt to address these issues, given the current “inadequate” state of Virgin Gorda’s clinics.
Committee demands explanation and future figures
“We are concerned that the Ministry and HSA did not share the urgency of these requests to Ministry of Finance so provisions could be made for increasing the budget allotment. The Committee to Provide Urgent Enhanced Health Care to the Virgin Gorda community is calling for an immediate explanation as to why these crucial needs have not been prioritized. The lack of response and support has severely impacted the availability and quality of healthcare services in Virgin Gorda,” the committee said through the press release.
They also speculated that their healthcare needs will not be budgeted in the upcoming budget due to the current situation.
The committee is calling for preliminary proposed budget estimated for 2025 be shared with them as it relates to healthcare throughout the Territory, including a breakdown per island and clinic.
Committee demands future audience with Ministry
“Our Ad Hoc group as well as the wider Virgin Gorda Community remains committed to advocating for the enhanced health and well-being of the Virgin Gorda community and urges the Minister and The Government of the Virgin Islands to address these critical funding needs without further delay,” the release continued.
The committee is also awaiting follow-ups and action points from the community meeting held on Virgin Gorda on September 6, 2024. They are now demanding and expecting a follow-up meeting by October 2, 2024, as there was allegedly no word received from the Ministry for Health and Social Development following the first meeting.
NHI has done little for VI’s public healthcare institutions- Premier Wheatley
Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has said little has been done for the Virgin Islands (VI) public healthcare institutions by the National Health Insurance (NHI) since it came into effect.
The Premier, who was speaking during the continuation of the Nineteenth Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA) on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, said while the over 100-million-dollar hospital was built as part of solving the VI’s healthcare problems, it also aided in increasing the cost of healthcare.
Premier Wheatley provided to the HoA recurrent figures allocated to healthcare in the VI from 2005 until 2016. The amount allocated from 2005 to 2015 were roughly 15 million, 19 million, 21 million, 24 million, 16 million, 19 million, 19 million, 21 million, 23 million, 22 million and 25 million respectively.
There was a huge increase to 41 million in 2016, an amount the Premier said is being described as not enough. One of the reasons for this major increase he explained is the building of the new hospital followed in quick time by the NHI.
He said based on what was said then, the NHI was supposed to provide a sustainable means of financing healthcare for the VI particularly the BVIHSA which at the time it was said it could not survive without the NHI.
While the intended purpose of the NHI was to keep the BVIHSA afloat sustainably, it has somehow backfired and instead provides financing mainly to the private medical industry.
“The persons who don’t pay, the persons who are considered to be indigent, children, persons over 65, they are sent to the public healthcare institutions and the people who can afford to pay something they all go to private healthcare establishments. So that NHI has done very little for our public healthcare institutions,” Premier Wheatley stated.
He added that while the BVIHSA is crying out, the NHI is not of much assistance.
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22 Responses to “'Healthcare committee' on VG expresses concerns & demands answers”
Only by addressing the fundamental causes of these dysfunctions can we hope to bring about meaningful, long-term reform. Anything less is merely rearranging the deck chairs on a sinking ship. Will this committee address the deep-rooted issues? One would be naive to expect as much.
More nonsense again. Stop voting based on stupid $&@@$&!/ and we won't end up with these situations. You can rant and demand all you want. Nothing will change when you keep electing a set of know-nothings just because they made promises to you. Your Minister is responsible for the Health Ministry and cannot get a functioning clinic over there. SHAMEFUL!
What is perhaps more alarming is the relationship between private healthcare practices and public financing—these private entities are fattening their coffers at the expense of public funds. This is not an indictment of the hospital’s quality of care, but rather a flaw in how the NHI was structured. It was designed to sustain public healthcare, but instead, it has lined the pockets of private providers. Do we expect this committee to address this fundamental flaw? Hardly. Their interests seem to align more with maintaining executing a political agenda than with shedding light on the real problem. They would much prefer to keep the public uninformed and, perhaps, join the financial spoils themselves when they attain that power they so ravenously seek.
That said, your comments regarding NHI and private providers unfortunately ring true. I’d say more alarming than any power grab. Few BVI politicians seem to be in the game to make life better for their constituents.
WAS AN ISLAND PERSON WE WOULDN'T OF EVEN NOTICED ,
Crazy to think that spending $ 100 mil would solve the Territory’s health care problem. For one, about 25% of the population does not live on Tortola. Two, you have to staff it but salaries are on offer are not attractive. Three, little consideration is given to prevention in terms of community outreach regarding issues like hypertension and diabetes which if unmanaged lead to expensive interventions. Also. education is lacking in terms of teaching about the importance of diet and exercise.
Crazy to also think an NHI system is viable in a place with no more about 30,000 inhabitants (at the time program was started). Of that, there was around 18,000 wage earners with a median salary of around $ 2,0000 month which at 7.5% contribution raises about $ 32 million per year, if all monies are turned in. In 2015, that might have been enough but factoring inflation that $32 mill is now about $ 42 million. Seems like a built in cost of living/inflation factor was left out of the original plans. That being the case, the program could not never be sustainable. But say $ 41 million is enough, raising it today would require raising contributions to around 10% based on median wage of $2K a month.
It doesn’t seem like they did their research when they came with a national health insurance scheme. While such can provide affordable and accessible health care to many, the cost of medical care is such that you can only downscale so far. The Territory lamentably is a case in point.
Considering this, I raise the following serious questions, and I trust you will respond with the clarity and responsibility this matter deserves, especially as NHI is being blamed for the private sector outperforming the public health system:
1. The Minister himself has acknowledged that the public has lost confidence in the public health sector. Premier, is this NHI’s fault?
2. The Ministry of Health and BVIHSA allow doctors under contract with BVIHSA to work privately, diverting potential services and revenue from the public sector. Premier, is it NHI’s fault that your Ministry sanctions this?
3. MRI, CT, and even mammogram machines are frequently out of service for extended periods, forcing patients to seek care in the private sector and leading to significant revenue loss. Premier, is this NHI’s fault?
4. Only minor surgeries are performed at the hospital, while most procedures are referred to private providers or sent overseas. Premier, is it NHI’s fault that BVIHSA fails to offer these critical services?
5. Anesthesia services for orthopedic surgeries are being outsourced to private providers. This is highly unusual for a government hospital. Premier, is this NHI’s fault?
6. Is it NHI’s fault that BVIHSA doctors refer patients to private facilities for speech and physical therapy, despite BVIHSA having the infrastructure to provide these services? This is another major source of lost revenue.
7. Patients are forced to seek private care due to poor planning when key technicians go on vacation without replacements. Premier, is this NHI’s fault?
8. The pharmacy is unable to provide certain medications due to financial constraints. Premier, is this NHI’s fault?
9. BVIHSA is overstaffed yet generates minimal revenue. Premier, is this also NHI’s fault?
It is time for both you and the Minister responsible for Health Services to take a critical look at BVIHSA and develop strategies to increase its revenue, instead of relying on the $42 million provided annually without effective oversight or accountability. Why should BVIHSA be motivated to improve services when they are guaranteed this funding, regardless of their performance? These are the pressing questions that demand answers, Honorable Premier.