Press Release

Ministry of Health & Social Development
Release Date:
Wednesday, 6 December 2017 - 2:59pm

Jost Van Dyke residents will soon benefit from a newly renovated community health clinic, thanks to the generosity of Kenny Chesney’s Love for Love City Foundation.

The clinic sustained severe damage during Hurricanes Irma and Maria, leaving it without a roof, windows, doors, living quarters for clinical staff and sufficient space to serve residents and visitors. The foundation has pledged equipment, materials and labour towards repairs and refurbishment.

Health Minister, Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton expressed gratitude for the partnership approach between the Government of the Virgin Islands, BVI Health Services Authority and the Foundation and pledged his commitment to restoring the clinic to its full functionality in the shortest time possible.

Director of the Love for Love City Foundation, Mr. John McInnis expressed empathy for the island saying, “We know what it is like, you are not alone….It is an opportunity to do great things. It is not anything to be sad about. We will move forward to make things better.”

Site preparation began on Thursday, November 30.

Kenny Chesney, an American country singer and songwriter launched the Love for Love City Foundation to support Hurricane Irma disaster relief for the United States. and British Virgin Islands. The organisation has delivered medical supplies, water, food, building materials, and generators to the people of Jost Van Dyke as part of relief efforts.

In an interview on an American news network, Chesney expressed his adoration for Virgin Islanders saying, “The people I’ve grown to love, they’re really hard workers, they’ve got great hearts, and it’s hard to rock them even with a hurricane of this size. That’s the thing I’m most proud of is my island family has a lot of heart, we’re going to recover … but it’s going to take a lot of help.”

The Government of the Virgin Islands continues to welcome contributions towards rebuilding the Territory’s health infrastructure. Interested persons are asked to contact the Ministry of Health and Social Development at (284) 852-4472 or ministryofhealth@gov.vg.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development aspires to provide a caring and integrated system of health and social services that facilitates human development and improves the quality of life in the Virgin Islands.

Author

Adrianna J. Soverall

Ministry of Health and Social Development
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Email: ministryofhealth@gov.vg
Telephone: 1(284)468-2272 or 2174