PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Isalands; Friday, November 28, 2008 - With an unsustainable overseas medical bill that has exceeded US$30million this financial year, Government is taking steps to ensure that Turks and Caicos Islanders continue to receive the best medical care without placing undue pressure on the country's finances in these tough economic times.
Minister of Health and Human Services Hon. Dr. Lillian Boyce said Government will improve the visiting specialist programme by increasing the number of visiting specialist doctors in key subspecialty areas such as ophthalmology (eye surgery), oncology (cancer surgery and care), Nephrology (kidney), orthopedics and neurology and simultaneously providing key medical equipment to ensure quality service is provided to the public.
"The Government will engage the services of renowned health care providers in the Caribbean region as preferred health care providers for specific types of care. Turks and Caicos Islanders who are health professionals and reside in these Caribbean countries will be engaged to provide assistance to our citizens who are referred to those countries for medical treatment," Hon. Boyce said in a media statement.
She added that Government, through its Social Welfare Programme would perform financial needs assessment on Belongers requiring treatment abroad to determine their ability to self-pay to ensure that those who are most in need of health care and unable to afford will be provided with financial assistance.
"The Government as a matter of urgency will strengthen the capacity to manage the coordination and administration of the medical treatment abroad programme," noted Dr. Boyce, adding that: "This new treatment abroad administration will be a precursor to the administration of the National Health Insurance Plan (NHIP). The implementation of the NHIP and the opening of the new hospitals in less than a year will significantly address most, if not all of the problems that we are currently facing."
The Health Minister went on to say that Government remains committed to providing quality essential health care to all Turks and Caicos residents; and "To this end, we are asking to public to be understanding as we go through this transition period and difficult financial times."
Moreover, she made mention that the downturn in the global economy combined with the recent devastation due to hurricanes Hanna and Ike have significantly impacted the economy of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and hence, forced Government to adopt several cost containment measures.
Under the Medical Treatment Abroad Programme (MTAP) Government is committed to provide some financial assistance to its citizens who are unable to afford health care abroad that is not available in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Previously, all Belongers regardless of their ability to self-pay were given full financial assistance for medical treatment abroad for care that was not readily available in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Government has therefore decided to cut back on the amount of financial assistance it will provide and has confined its assistance to those persons with life threatening emergencies only.
END
