Anguilla’s Minister of Health, Mr. Evans Rogers, told listeners at the Government’s public meeting on March 30 that his Ministry and the Health Authority are working diligently to provide improved services for the people of the island.
Mr. Rogers, the driving force behind the upgrading of the island’s medical services and the acquisition of advanced technical equipment, outlined some of the improvements at the hospital which was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma. He noted that while all the new equipment was not a result of the hurricane, he was pleased that the Government was in office at the time to maximize the assistance received from a number of donors following Irma.
“In terms of the hospital, there are some rules that need to be changed, and some adjustments and developments in terms of the Accident and Emergency and Operating Room areas to be done,” he said. “I would like to get on with it to see a totally improved facility while we are at it.”
Minister Rogers continued: “When we talk about equipment, I have been on a prowl with respect to raising funds to purchase more state-of-the-art equipment for our healthcare facility. We have a brand new CT Scan which we will commission by mid-June this year. We have to make sure that the services we are providing for our people are paid for because there is a cost – and at the end of the day the services must be paid for. Right now, at Hughes Medical Centre, there is a C T Scan and patients who go there have to pay upfront for it. But, as all of us know, we cannot refuse patients at the hospital whether they have the ability to pay or not. As a result, there are large amounts of money owed to the Health Authority – and the CEO was on radio about it the other day. It is over 6 million EC dollars of services that was given, and has not been paid for, so national health is critical going forward if we are to maintain and provide the level of services we want.
“During the Budget Address, the Chief Minister mentioned that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be implemented, starting in June, and over a period of time. I want to say to the people of Anguilla that we are going to use this opportunity…to look very closely at the removal of whatever taxes are placed on drugs in Anguilla – whether at the private or [public] pharmacies on the island. But I must caution the people of Anguilla that what we are doing doesn’t give you the right to purchase all sorts of illegal drugs to bring in, because at the end of the day, the pharmacies that are here are complementary to the pharmacy at the hospital. The new polyclinic in The Valley will have the main pharmacy so that the bottle-necking at the hospital, as it exists, will not be there anymore.
“We have a lot of diabetics in Anguilla; a lot of folks who are on dialysis, and a lot who are hypertensive and who must take these drugs on a daily basis – two or three times a day – to stay alive. I think it is time we move ahead in removing whatever taxes or duties are placed on those drugs because they are for our people. If the drugs are not at the hospital’s pharmacy, but are down at Paramount or the French pharmacies, they are in Anguilla and we will be able to get them [without taxes].’’
On another matter, the Minister of Health stated: “The other thing that needs immediate attention – and I am going to work with the Ministry of Finance to deal with it – is medical insurance especially for civil servants. While we are working on the National Health Insurance, Government pays a significant amount of money to cover the civil servants – and that amount of money – and the civil servants can be an integral part in assisting with the overall National Health Insurance. Those of us, who are healthy, strong, working and contributing to the system, must be able to assist in terms of those who cannot afford [to pay]. We have to work on a plan like that because the insurance coverage that we have now leaves a lot to be desired.
“I will say this publicly, tonight, and I will continue to say that we are not getting value for our money with respect to our medical and health insurance here in Anguilla. I will get the figures from the Treasury because it is public knowledge and is nothing to be hidden. It is about time that we don’t need any brokers anymore. We need insurance.”
