Virgin Islands health officials recently met with representatives of a Puerto Rico company to explore a possible partnership that could lead to a privately funded hospital group establishing satellite operations in the territory.
In partnership with the BVI Health Services Authority, Grupo HIMA San Pablo could provide a range of specialist services to the VI and neighbouring Caribbean islands that currently are only available in Puerto Rico or further abroad, according to Government Information Services.
“We welcome this opportunity to partner with the private sector to procure specialist health care services that are safe, effective, patient-centred and of high quality,” Health and Social Development Minister Ronnie Skelton said. “But any partnership arrangement must ensure that we build local capacity to allow our health services to meet the basic needs of the population well into the future.”
HIMA HEALTH is a service provided by the PR hospital group, with two main hospitals in the areas of Caguas and Bayamon that mainly cater to patients from the Caribbean region and United States mainland, according to GIS.