Residents of Virgin Gorda were assured that a wellness programme is in place for them by the BVI HSA. PHoto: Ron Henry/VINO

“We’re talking about health care and I’m not hearing wellness at all… wellness is where you’re gonna save money… become efficient,” he said. 

He questioned the fact that although sick care is being provided, “why not let us get a healthy population?” 

“I know it’s gonna take time,” he continued, “but we must start at some point and drive home healthy values that would make life a lot easier…” 

“I guarantee you, you will not be spending $10million or $20 million a year, [that] you will be spending $50 million a year” he reasoned. 

He also touched on the issue of an illness that served as a platform for further sicknesses. 

“Diabetes is a platform for every critical illness in the world. Because of a non-wellness programme in diet, exercise, the way you operate within the work environment,” the resident explained. 

Operations Manager, John Lewis responded by saying, “We have in recent times introduced what we call a health promotion [section]. Health promoters have been having sessions.” 

This, he said, was being done at least once or twice per week, suggesting that a primary focus of the Health Services Authority is health promotion, health education and wellness. 

The resident, in an attempt to add further insight into what he meant said, “You are talking about a unique situation, your catchment area for wellness is when they come to your clinic; I want your catchment area to be the whole community.” 

Amputations he observed remained a key concern since he expressed that within the Virgin Gorda community there had been at least twenty amputations within the last 10 years. 

The resident articulated that what the community wanted to see was a strategy presented. “We want you to say to us, this is how we’re gonna get there, this is how we’re gonna save money, this is how we’re gonna have these outcomes in the next 5 years, in the next 10 years, in the next twenty years,” he said. 

He continued, “we have to [figure out something]… because it’s only when you get sick that you come [to the clinic]; I want people to get up in the morning, thinking about… swimming, thinking about walking… so they don’t have to get tetanus shots… and the benefits to the community [will be] enormous.” 

In response to this, Nurse Campbell-Hannibal said, “You are preaching to the choir when you say that to us, we recognise that this is what has to happen.” 

“We are the ones taking care of patients currently on dialysis. We hear what you’re saying… as a team we are currently working on a plan for wellness, so we believe that wellness is the way to go, we recognise that we have expended a lot of money making people well as opposed to keeping people healthy.” 

The goal, she expressed, is to promote a healthy community. “We are gonna ask people that need to come on board to help us make those plans and move those things forward. Right now we have to work on getting a structure in place so that we can do those things well.” 

She felt that one of the things not done very well at the BVI HSA is to organize what was going to be done and then executing it. 

Services have been provided in the past Campbell-Hannibal explained, without fully taking into consideration the cost factor. 

“This is why we’re not coming to the community and saying we need your help to get your help to help you to get where you need to go.” 

Chairman of the Board of the BVI HSA, Bishop John Cline in an attempt to provide further clarity and assurance said, “we’ve been in those discussions in terms of how do we roll out to the community, this wellness education plan.”      

He announced that from September 4, a new life foundation which has been developed will be revealed. This he added speaks about wellness for all, whether it be environmental, social, spiritual or physical. “You will see the launching of our foundation that is designed to address wellness, that will partner with government…” the Chairman said. 

Bishop Cline further explained that it has been modelled after international organisations. “So there is a plan,” he stated “to get us off of these high sugar, high salt, high fat diets, get us up, off our beds… so that we can be a healthy community.” 

“Those things are coming, those things are being talked about… stay tuned we’ll let you know.”