Service at Nurse Iris O’Neal Clinic on Virgin Gorda was disrupted in October 2025 for essential infrastructural work. Since then, a field hospital has been deployed on the clinic’s grounds. Photo: VINO/Files

Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley, the Minister for Health and Social Development and Ninth District Representative in the Virgin Islands, has announced that the initial phases of repair work on the Nurse Iris O’Neal Clinic in Virgin Gorda are expected to be completed and the clinic should be operational next week. Photo: Facebook

He provided this update during a Ninth District meeting held on February 5, 2026, at St Mary's Church Hall on Virgin Gorda, following a resident's enquiry about the progress of the repairs.

Open tender 

Minister Wheatley noted that the ministry has been addressing roof issues at the clinic for at least two years. However, he indicated that significant progress has been made, as there is now an open tender for the contract.

"We open the tender on Tuesday. The air conditioning was broken. It has just been replaced. They are currently demolding and cleaning the building. Once it finishes, it will take maybe three or four days, I guess, to move back into the building."

Hon Wheatley mentioned that the field hospital has been providing services to several residents of Virgin Gorda during the clinic's closure. He also pointed out that if hospitals become overwhelmed in the future, the field hospital is available to accommodate patients.

According to an article by VINO, the service at the Nurse Iris O’Neal Clinic was disrupted in October 2025 for essential infrastructural work. Since then, a field hospital has been deployed on the clinic’s grounds. 

Field hospital 

"We have a field hospital, which is designed to do exactly what it is doing now. If, for some reason, we have an infrastructural failure or the hospitals are overwhelmed, people can always go to the field hospitals."

Minister Wheatley emphasised, "Hopefully, we should be back to normal in that clinic by next week once the second floor is properly sealed." 

The Health Minister reiterated his commitment to enhancing medical services in the Virgin Islands.