Dr Hans A. Diehl, a pivotal figure in preventive medicine who visited the Virgin Islands in 2019 to help introduce the ‘Complete Health Improvement Program’ also known as CHIP to residents, has died. Photo: YouTube/File

Founder of the Complete Health Improvement Programme (CHIP) Dr Hans Diehl, right, had paid a courtesy visit on then Minister for Health and Social Development, Honourable Carvin Malone (AL), left, on Monday July 8, 2019. Photo: Department of Information & Public Relations

Dr Diehl passed away on August 2, 2023, at Loma Linda University Medical Center from an AFib-related stroke. He was 77.

While in the [British] Virgin Islands in July 2019, the CHIP founder conducted a series of health sessions on the health programme with stakeholders in health care, businesses, non-governmental organisations, social clubs, health officials and the public.

The initiative was part of a partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Development to assist with the prevention and reduction of non-communicable diseases and their risk factors.

COVID-19 delayed introduction of CHIPVI

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the programme, CHIPVI, was never fully introduced in the VI.

Dr Diehl founded the Lifestyle Medicine Institute, and through his groundbreaking research and publications, he significantly enhanced our understanding of the role lifestyle plays in optimal health.

Beyond his research, Dr Diehl was renowned as a compelling author and speaker, advocating for a revolutionary shift in our perspective on well-being. His Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP) stood as a testament to his visionary approach, enabling countless individuals to significantly better their health.