Doctors’ services to BVIHSA & private sector will soon be reviewed- Health Minister

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Minister for Health and Social Development, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) has announced that the government will soon review the operations of doctors working in both the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) and the private sector.

His comments were made during the "Talking Points" programme on Monday, July 28, 2025, aired on ZBVI and Facebook Live.

He stated, "I attended the Ministers of Health Council in Dominica, and this issue arose. It's not just a problem there; it’s an issue across the Caribbean. Deciding how you want your healthcare to function is not a simple task. The same doctors who are providing care here behave differently in other places because the regulations vary."

Wheatley further said, "If I decided that, effective tomorrow, no doctors can work here while also practicing privately, then that’s the decision. There would be consequences to this choice, so you either adapt to it or recognise that this current system isn’t working for BVI healthcare and make a change."

He noted that "We haven’t reached that point yet because we are currently implementing other healthcare reforms at the hospital. However, I assure you that we will get there because people are taking advantage of the system. Right now, whether a doctor sees 10 patients, 50 patients, or just one, their pay remains the same."