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NHI struggling with VI health crisis – Hon Carvin Malone

- Health Minister Malone & Premier Fahie sign up for health & wellness programme in effort to motivate others to practice healthy lifestyles
Noting that the government is now ‘compelled’ to do something about VI’s growing health concerns, Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Carvin Malone (AL) has revealed that National Health Insurance (NHI) is struggling in the fight, and the solution now is more health and wellness education in the territory. Photo: NHI VI
Hon Carvin Malone who was at the time speaking on the Thursday, July 12, 2019, edition ‘Umoja’ on ZBVI 780am with host Cromwell Smith aka ‘Edju En Ka,‘ also noted that it is better to educate people in the fight, rather than rely on expensive ignorance. Photo: Facebook
Hon Carvin Malone who was at the time speaking on the Thursday, July 12, 2019, edition ‘Umoja’ on ZBVI 780am with host Cromwell Smith aka ‘Edju En Ka,‘ also noted that it is better to educate people in the fight, rather than rely on expensive ignorance. Photo: Facebook
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI – Noting that the government is now ‘compelled’ to do something about the Virgin Islands (VI) growing health concerns, Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Carvin Malone (AL) has revealed that National Health Insurance (NHI) is struggling in the fight, and the solution now is more health and wellness education in the territory.

The Minister who was at the time speaking on the Thursday, July 12, 2019, edition of ‘Umoja’ on ZBVI 780 AM with host Cromwell Smith aka ‘Edju En Ka,‘ also noted that it is better to educate people against poor health practices, rather than rely on expensive ignorance.

Education is Key

According to Hon Malone, “Ignorance is a lot more expensive than education, so at the end of the day we have to choose. We’re going to spend more on ignorance or little on education.”

Speaking on educational initiatives, he said, “It’s going to be a fixture because… as the education goes up, the actual cases… for health care, secondary and tertiary care goes down and so forth. NHI is actually struggling now as we speak because where you would have had one or two cases of extreme cases, [are now] almost on a daily basis every month, every week.”

Hon Malone noted that due to the growing health issues, this has further compelled the government to take action, “You walk into the [Dialysis] room on a Monday, Friday or Wednesday and you’ll be amazed,” he said.

Boosting Public Awareness

The Minister said, however, that when it comes to health and wellness, there are some subjects that will fill an auditorium and others where folks are slower to come, “you have to look at it in terms of a marketing tool to get the public out,” Mr Malone underscored.

Through funding to ‘save people from themselves’ the Health Minister also noted that the goal is to have people become excited to participate in positive health programs.

“There’s no greater motivation than to have the Premier and I be the first participants in the programme… we have to lead from the front,” he said.

Hon Malone hopes the strategy to use Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) as a 'marketing' tool, will entice persons to sign up and engage in upcoming health education programmes.

14 Responses to “NHI struggling with VI health crisis – Hon Carvin Malone ”

  • Binocs (12/07/2019, 10:15) Like (45) Dislike (1) Reply
    me and many others had our personal health insurance and because NHI was made mandatory, and would have caused financial hardship to pay both, many of us had to drop our personal insurance. What happen after, a lot of coverage we never had issues with, is now a stress with NHI. Now if NHI turn bottom up, who going insure us? We will all now be considered as pre-existing conditions if we try to purchase our own health insurance and thereby not covered for what we were once covered for. It isn't everybody who eat themselves to sickness. Many of us, as active as we are, and as healthy as we eat, this is life, and ailments will attack us one way or next. So education is good, and I did not say that NHI is bad. It has helped a lot of people who otherwise would not have had any coverage at all. There are many positives about NHI also. I say, take the noose off the people and let who want NHI be covered under NHI and stop forcing it down our throat
  • OZYMANDIAS (12/07/2019, 10:32) Like (17) Dislike (8) Reply

    You MS know exactly what it is! Lets start with the vendors you allowed to sell food. NO INSPECTION THEY SELL YOU SPOIL FOOD COOKED IN OLD OIL. YOU GUYS ALLOW THEM TO CUT CORNERS FOR THEIR PROFIT WHILE SACRIFICING THE HEALTH OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC BECAUSE ALMOST ALL OF THEM RELATED TO YOU GUYS. THEN I WILL SPEAK ON INDIVIDUALS PERAONAL BAD HABITS. WANT TO EAT PORK AND MEAT ONA DAILY BASIS, ARE YOU DUMB? BLACK ORIGINAL HUMANS BODY IS NOT SUPPOSE TO CONSUME MEAT AT THAT RATE WE ARE PLANT EATERS BY NATURE WE ARE NOT CARNIVOROUS LIKE OUR MUTATED COUSINS THAT TRAVELED FAR FROM THE EQUATOR. SOME YOU GUYS AND WOMEN ARE JUST BIG FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN GLUTTONY. Then you need the most expensive medical services and you damn broke! if you going to be a pig ay least have some damn money its expensive to live unhealthy only the wealthy should be allowed by la to be pigs. In the end you all just make me sick get rid of yourself and stop destroying poor NHI.

    • SB (12/07/2019, 10:47) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      HA! Tell um why you mad son. I agree though I haven't had the common cold or anything since Irma and counting.
    • Luvz (12/07/2019, 11:29) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      OMG! Who trouble you so early in the morning buddy? Calm down before pressure bust pipe.
      • OZYMANDIAS (12/07/2019, 12:34) Like (1) Dislike (5) Reply
        You calm down before your high blood pressure burst your spirit out your unhealthy living behind.
  • tretretrete (12/07/2019, 10:58) Like (51) Dislike (2) Reply
    I think part of the problem as soon as NHI became effective all of the medical facilities, Dr’s etc trippled their fee. Milked the system for every $$$ they could. Made out like bandits and the govt allowed this to happen! So there lies part of the problem as I see it.
  • Jordana (12/07/2019, 11:31) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    I must applaud NHI for trying to ensure that all persons are covered.. and I agree with what “sad” said re: having additional insurance and having to drop it for it wasn’t financially feasible to have both..NHI is not accepted outside of the BVI so u had to always pay out of cash and seek reimbursement after.. one of my issues with NHI is that when a person may need a particular service outside of BVI they had to approve it first and either they decided to cover u or not cover u and this delay at times did not prove to be in the best interest of the patient..NHI had it’s upside and downside..and to “OZYMADIAS” some persons are not just fat because they eat too much; they have an inherent predisposition to become fat.. now in keeping things real I tend to feel that some of us just eat too much in one meal.. see how long some Asians live for example; yes they’re other factors in play but they tend to eat smaller portions than some of us do and yes some of us are just gluttonous which is disadvantageous to us.. I personally felt that NHI should have been an option for those of us that had private insurance for like I said it’s a hassle at times if u need care outside of BVI but again it was a very good initiative by the then Government to ensure health care for all..
  • Jordana (12/07/2019, 11:42) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    @hmmn.. I stand with u in this 100%..in the US as well.. I agree that a lot of Education is needed and in today’s world with access to the internet persons can research for themselves; however though given information this doesn’t mean persons will adhere to changing their lifestyle habits in regards to eating right..also as one stated u could be doing everything “right” and some sickness befalls u.. and yes the health dept.. need to have health inspectors looking into some of these businesses that sells fast food for they do reuse the oil over and over and over which in turn put persons lives at risk for cancer and other health conditions.. a country’s wealth is also dependent on the health of its people so let us all come together and put measures in place for a healthier BVI.. our people are our wealth..
  • Fix it.. (12/07/2019, 12:27) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    We elected you for change. To fix problems.. I know these greedy medical complex were going bankrupt NHI. As NHI was introduced their fees increased 100%... Crazy... Hope you have the strength and courage to make it right
  • Bull Dawg (12/07/2019, 14:16) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    I would have though that with the consultation the NDP did before the NHI came out, they would have been able to know what expense they up against with this new insurance.
    I am happy for it in a sense that my father and mother got insurance for the first time ever.
    But they need to go back to the drawing board with the Health Care providers and change those ridiculous charges, before the NHI falls deeper in their bankruptcy.
  • lodger (12/07/2019, 15:56) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    If govt cant fund NHI they will either have to force the medical profession to lower their fees, or increase the copay, or increase the contributions, or reduce the coverage. It would be a disaster if it was allowed to go bankrupt and as others have said, to go back to your own private health insurance could be very expensive and restrictive.
  • imagine (12/07/2019, 20:48) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    Imagine some doctors had the guts to boast about how their profits soared way up through the roof and surpassed their expectations by leaps and bounds after NHI was introduced here.
    And what did the government do about regulating it? Absolutely nothing. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer.
  • Worried (13/07/2019, 04:03) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I’ve met a Virgin Gordian recently asking to assist him in Medical’s because he said quote he was told that his meds crossed the limits with NHI

    Now I’ve know this Man from childhood he won’t make this up

    Soo it seems there’s a limit to NHI at some point
    I hope this ain’t true else we f.....


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