Road Town, Tortola - The Government of the Virgin Islands took an important step towards ensuring people of the Territory will have equal and affordable access to medical care with the signing of an agreement with the University of the West Indies, Health Economic Unit (UWI HEU) to perform professional consulting services to design and support the implementation of a National Health Insurance System (NHIS).
Signing the agreement on Friday, March 12 Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE cited the urgent need for a health insurance system.
Honourable O’Neal said his Government is keen to see the new programme “not only on stream, but in stream in 2011.” In addition, he, acknowledged the current difficult economic climate and said signing of the new agreement may be considered ironic.
However, the Premier maintained that the benefits of the NHIS would be significant. “Critics only make the Government more determined to do what is best for the people,” Honourable O’Neal said, while reiterating the benefits that would be enjoyed by people in the Territory via the NHIS.
Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Social Development Honourable Dancia Penn, OBE, QC witnessed the agreement, which was signed on the University’s behalf by Professor Karl Theodore, Director of HEU Centre for Health Economics.
The Deputy Premier described the signing as a “very happy and significant event”. Honourable Penn said, “Today is the day when we take yet another step on the road to fulfilling that very important dream, which all of us wish to see realised. Introduction of NHIS is primarily intended to make our health system work better, and to ensure that there is universal access to healthcare.”
In his remarks, Professor Karl Theodore commended the Government for taking a “good decision”. He also underscored the need for residents to view their contributions to the system as more than just another tax.
“This is much more than a tax. The NHIS is really a policy instrument that the Government is using to try to get the healthcare system to perform better,” he said. Professor Theodore further highlighted the fact that the NHIS will include a Health Information System that will enable the Government to better track the population’s changing health needs, and determine how the relevant authorities can continually improve the healthcare system.
Last Friday’s signing ceremony was chaired by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Development Mrs. Petrona Davies. Attendees included Territorial-at-Large Representative Honourable Vernon E. Malone and Representative for the Fifth Electoral District Honourable Elvis Harrigan.
In 2005, on the request of the Government of the Virgin Islands, the University of the West Indies, Health Economic Unit (UWI HEU) conducted a study on the Economic Feasibility of a National Health Insurance System (NHIS) for the Territory. In August 2009, Cabinet accepted the HEU’s proposal for the completion of the design, and implementation of the NHIS. This signing is another step forward in establishing the programme in the Territory.
British Virgin Islands News