Outgoing Chair of the OECS Council of Minsters: Health Minister for Health and Social Development, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley said during his one-year tenure, strategies for enhancing preventive healthcare of OECS Member States, reducing costs through more efficient pharmaceutical procurement were explored.

 Honourable Wheatley is attending the 37th Pooled Procurement Service (PPS) Policy Board Meeting and 10th Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Council of Ministers: Health in the Commonwealth of Dominica where he will hand over the chairmanship to Incoming Chair, Honourable Cassanni Laville, Minister of Health, Wellness and Social Services of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

In his outgoing remarks, Honourable Wheatley said mental health literacy among youth, prevention of non-communicable diseases, investigative medicine, and building resilience in healthcare to confront climate change were also critical areas on the agenda.

Honourable Wheatley said, “Looking ahead, I envision a Caribbean where cancer rates are significantly reduced, non-communicable diseases are on a steady decline, and where HIV, Tuberculosis and Cervical Cancer are eradicated. I also see a future where mental health awareness is prioritised across all our communities. These goals may be ambitious, but they are certainly attainable—particularly if we continue investing in preventive healthcare.”

Honourable Wheatley acknowledged that achieving these goals will require substantial resources but through the OECS pooled procurement initiatives and continued collaboration, he remains confident that the region can achieve these critical goals. 

The minister said this year’s theme, ‘Beyond Borders: Breaking Barriers and Empowering Change in Healthcare Access and Delivery’, is especially close to his heart.

“Access to healthcare, and more importantly quality healthcare, is a cause that I will continue to champion in my role as Minister for Health,” Honourable Wheatley said.

He added, “As the District Representative for the 9th District, with responsibility for two of our Sister Islands (Virgin Gorda and Anegada), in fact, being from one of these islands myself, I am acutely aware of the challenges we face, and even more cognisant of the importance of replicating the infrastructure and services across multiple inhabited islands to ensure access to healthcare for all our citizens.”

Honourable Wheatley is accompanied by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Ms. Tasha Bertie to the meetings that are being held from 7 to 11 October.

The meetings will focus on promoting efficient and effective access to holistic and integrated health care that is in line with regional and international health standards while also securing the support and collaboration of regional and development partners in proactively addressing challenges in healthcare access and delivery. 

The OECS Council of Ministers: Health aims to harmonise the strategy in Public Health in the OECS Member states by coordinating regional health policies and initiatives among Member States.

Its primary purpose is to promote collaboration on health matters, improve healthcare systems, and address shared health challenges such as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), mental health, and disaster preparedness. The Council works to ensure that healthcare policies align with regional development goals, fostering sustainable health improvements across the OECS Member States.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development remains committed to forging partnerships and collaborations that are beneficial for the health and social well-being of the people of the Virgin Islands.