‘Peebles Hospital should have facilities for colon cancer, other tests’ – Doug Wheatley
He was speaking last evening October 27, 2015 on his Speak Out BVI show aired on ZBVI 780 AM during which he addressed several issues, including those to do with National Health Insurance (NHI) and others.
Mr Wheatley said that he has listened to Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton and noted that the Minister is very much committed to health, even noting that the Minister has had his own health challenges. “But Government policy has not always shown the same commitment,” said Wheatley.
“If in fact a colonoscopy can detect colon cancer and polyps and prevent it, why doesn’t the Peebles Hospital have the facilities for carrying out a colonoscopy? My understanding is that they do not have the facilities for that and that you have to go to a private establishment in order to have a colonoscopy and it could cost you anything like $1,000,” he said.
Wheatley noted that if this is the only cancer that can be detected beforehand then why isn’t the facility available at the people’s hospital which is the Peebles Hospital. “And this is not just under Honourable Skelton’s watch but during previous governments as well. And up to today as far as I know we still don’t have the services of the colonoscopy at the hospital,” he said.
He noted too that while he knows the hospital has a machine to do mammograms, there should be at least another machine in case one is down. He called also for there to be a redundancy for CT scans.
“In a hospital that cost $160 million we should not be in a situation where A. we cannot afford to have an extra machine in the eventuality in case one breaks down, or we don’t seem to have a maintenance schedule so that when there is a problem with a machine if we don’t have the personnel on island we can bring them in and get the repairs done so that such a machine can be up and running for the benefit of the people of these islands.”
Wheatley is of the view that if the country does not have the facilities to take care of the primary needs of its people then that is the first thing that must be addressed before there can be any inkling of having a National Health Insurance scheme.
“We must have the adequate facilities at the hospital and that could be augmented or supplemented by the private institutions. But I fail to see how it is that private institutions could have more advanced equipment than our Peebles Hospital,” said Wheatley.
He noted that having early diagnosis in some cases can lead to early treatment and sustained life, which will not be the case when the disease is detected in the late stages.
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13 Responses to “‘Peebles Hospital should have facilities for colon cancer, other tests’ – Doug Wheatley”
Additionally what Mr. Wheatley is suggesting that the NHI is basically cart before horse mentality. We do not have the capacity, competency or capability to deal with the influx of patients due to the NHI but we implementing the NHI. He also stated clearly that we have spent 160 million (not sure if this figure is correct but if it is Lord help us)and clearly we have not gotten value for money. So why should we put more money when we are yet to find out what happened to the money already expended?
Bob Marley,once wrote; " You can fool some people all the times, but you cannot fool all the people all the times".
n with more modern medical equipment and bringing on medical specialist on board. This will assist the hospital to keep revenue at home, giving communities the quality care for successful health care in Tortola future health care advancement in the