BVI Health Services Authority

24 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 12 to the pinnacle of her career, yet she says the presence of other women in senior positions does not make hers unique. “In the BVI, women have access to education and opportunities, which they take up through hard work and determination, as was my case. There’s also an aspect of socialization to the rise of women in the BVI, with girls encouraged to excel, which plays out in their later years.” “When you look at the public sector, especially, you’ll find many women in leadership positions, mostly because they tend to keep moving forward and progressing through the ranks. The only exception is politics, which is still predominantly male-oriented,” Dr. Samuel outlines. This progress is reflected in Dr. Samuel’s efforts to take BVIHSA to the next level. The organization is planning several upgrades, including new clinics and expanding services offered. BVIHSA EXPERTISE, FUNDING AND EQUIPMENT Dr. Samuel who is proud of the expertise within the organization boasted, “We have a range of specialist services. For example, we have psychiatrists, psychologists, and mental health therapists in mental health services. Our biggest gap would be around substance abuse intervention services, although we have social workers specialized in this area.” We also provide a range of specialist medical services in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Surgical specialties, as we have broad responsibility to meet the healthcare needs of the Territory. BVIHSA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Health. As a state-affiliated organization, BVIHSA gets funding through the BVI Ministry of Health via the National Health Insurance System. However, as a statutory body, the organization can also seek self-funding sources. The Virgin Islands has a small population of approximately 30,000, which means that its economic security is highly dependent on a healthy workforce. This BV I HEALTH SERV I CES AUTHOR I TY