Road Town, Tortola - The Ministry of Health and Social Development is spearheading efforts to inform the community about the National Health Insurance (NHI) System, which the Government hopes to introduce by 2012.
Permanent Secretary Mrs. Petrona Davies and Director of the HEU, Centre for Health Economics, The University of the West Indies, Professor Karl Theodore made several media appearances this week to promote the benefits of NHI and Government’s reasons for designing the System.
Among other appearances, Mrs. Davies and Professor Theodore were studio guests during JTV’s Spotlight with host Edju En Ka on Tuesday, 8 June. In addition the officials will appear on upcoming editions of the Government’s GIS Radio Report and Public Eye programmes. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Irad Potter will join the panel on Public Eye, which will be aired on local television next week.
Professor Karl Theodore said that the Government is about to do something very important for the local health sector. “It is on the verge of ensuring that the health system is now geared to improving the quality of care for everybody; that everyone has access to this high quality care; and it is on the verge of introducing a system that will help us to control the costs of healthcare,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary said she is looking forward to the day when the National Health Insurance System is implemented and its benefits can be achieved. Mrs. Davies also assured the community that additional information about NHI will be provided in the coming weeks.
In 2005, on the request of the Government of the Virgin Islands, the University of the West Indies, Health Economics Unit conducted a study on the Economic Feasibility of a National Health Insurance System for the Territory. In August 2009 Cabinet accepted the HEU’s proposal for the completion of the design, and implementation of the System. In March 2010 Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal OBE signed an agreement with Health Economics Unit for professional consulting services to design and support the implementation of a National Health Insurance System.
Since then the Unit has assigned a team to the Territory. The team is working closely with the Ministry of Health and Social Development. The public is encouraged to monitor local radio and television stations for the upcoming broadcasts. Further information can be obtained by calling the telephone number 468-3701 extension 3122.
British Virgin Islands News