Anegada medical emergency vessel not feasible
Health Minister Vincent Wheatley has revealed that Anegadians will not be getting the long-awaited water ambulance designed to assist with medical emergencies, as the venture would be too costly for the government.
Residents of Anegada have been advocating for a vessel equipped with medical facilities that could transport sick individuals to the Dr. D. Orlando Smith Hospital on Tortola. But according to Wheatley — who also serves as the district representative for Anegada — the government has been advised that upgrading medical clinics on the island would be a more cost-effective and practical alternative.
“We sent a group to St. John (USVI) to look at their boats. St. John is buying a new boat so the team could tell me what it would cost to buy a similar one. It’s about $1 million to buy and about $1 million to operate that boat annually,” Wheatley said during a recent Virgin Islands Voice broadcast.
He continued: “What they’ve suggested is that instead of a boat, upgrade the clinics in Anegada to where only real emergencies would have to leave Anegada — same for Virgin Gorda. That’s what we are trying to do.”
Wheatley also noted that his ministry has paused discussions on the matter for now, stating that “it’s time to stop talking and make a decision.”
While many residents have long called for a medical vessel, others have argued that Anegada’s small population and relatively low number of medical emergencies do not justify the high cost of acquiring and maintaining such a specialized boat.
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So you think that $1M is too much to find to save lives?
my understaning is its not the amount of money but what bang do you get for your buck , where is the money better spent? upgrading the current facilities or maintainng a vessel that may or may not be used once a year.Its not a question of putting a price tag on a life, its how do we get the maximum benefit for ALL.
What they really need is a concert.
Instead of making the monstrous Orlando D Hostipal which they can’t afford to maintain they should have outfitted clinics and mini hospitals across the territory
a helicopter to move critical patients from Anegada to Peebles in Road Town.
why not just get a plane , much cheaper and Anegada has 3 pilots who live full time on the island so someone would always be available to fly them out…
All we doing is going around in circles and they all singing the same song from the same script , am sure most of us have heard about PROMISES and it’s comfort for FOOLS / so since we are their FOOLS then they simply feed us with PROMISES / some of us will believe anything •
Vybes Kartel wasn’t too much money
Where there are palers there no amount is to much to secure their life.