5 December 2024
As previously communicated, St Helena Government (SHG) has recently secured funding from the UK Government as part of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) agreement some of which was intended to help clear the list of approximately 50 people waiting for critical overseas medical treatment.
Without this additional funding, these patients would have faced significant delays in receiving the necessary medical attention. The Health and Social Care Portfolio (HSC), in collaboration with ER24, is working diligently to plan and coordinate the treatment of these patients over the coming months.
To ensure optimal care and efficient use of resources, the treatment process will be phased. The first group of patients has already departed for South Africa, and the remaining patients will be scheduled over the next 9 to12 months. The order of travel has been determined in consultation with the treating specialists to prioritise urgent cases and optimise the use of available medical resources. The HSC will directly contact individual patients to provide specific details regarding their travel arrangements.
It is important to note that this funding is a one-time allocation to address the current backlog. Where feasible, SHG will continue to explore opportunities to increase the range of specialist medical services available on the island. Recent successful joint replacement surgeries are a positive step in this direction, and the HSC aims to build on this progress to reduce the need for overseas referrals.
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