CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – MINISTER of Health and Deputy Premier the Hon. Hensley Daniel has sought the help of Pink Lily Breast Cancer Care Nevis in promoting the proposed National Health Insurance Plan for the island.
Speaking at a Pink Lily-hosted press briefing on Monday (Sept. 28) at the Red Cross building, Minister Daniel said he would appreciate the organisation’s assistance in educating Nevisians when government moves with the plan.
The Minister said the need for public education is important and authorities need to direct that focus on diet and exercise so that people would take a preventive approach.
“We need to promote education in the context of costs and let people know that if they can prevent cancer they can save themselves thousands of dollars in medical care.”
According to Minister Daniel, that is a fact that is lost on people. He said there is an assumption that the money would come from somewhere.
“When the public does not have that money it is assumed that government will have. It is not always the case.”
Minister Daniel said that in a small community such as Nevis, the Ministry of Health finds itself taking a huge section of the responsibility for health care. He explained that that responsibility entails providing financial and social support to people who are troubled by diseases.
“So I would like, through the assistance of Pink Lily, to help to take a paradigm shift where people begin to focus more carefully on health care. That would lead us to the provision of a national health insurance where everybody in the country recognises that health care is expensive and very few people in this country, if anybody at all, can afford it if they get really sick.”
“We would like you to be supportive on the assumption that with the Health Insurance Plan we can get the required technology and the required human resources we need to deal with matters related to cancer.”
While welcoming Pink Lily as a partner in health care, Daniel said his Ministry regards the fight against cancer as critical and something that must be carried on continuously.
Without mentioning figures, the Minister also noted the high incidence of cancer among young people in Nevis and said the reason must be found. He said he would support any effort to research the cause and believes that his Ministry, Pink Lily and other resource institutes must find a way to put mechanisms in place for such a research.
The Minister also said he hoped Pink Lily would establish partnerships with other cancer organisations around the world “so we can tap into their resources”.
Pink Lily founder and Director Lea Parris-Cambridge supported the idea of a Health Insurance saying that she was fortunate to have been living and working in England when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She explained that because she was paying Health Insurance from her wages, she had no financial burden for treatment and surgery.
Parris-Cambridge and the other Pink Lily volunteers shared the organisation’s achievements, it goals and some of its immediate plans with the media. Among the achievements listed was the raising of $17,436.07 to assist in the treatment for Cindy Freeman of cervical cancer. Upcoming events include the Walk-a-Bike-a-Thon on October 10 and an “Over 30s Costume Party” on October 31.
