As Chairman of the Committee on Health, Hospitals, and Human Services, I have recently received two powerful letters signed by 106 physicians from across the Virgin Islands. These healthcare professionals—who serve on the frontlines every day—have laid out in stark detail the overwhelming challenges and unacceptable conditions they face while striving to deliver urgent, high-quality care to our residents.
Let me be clear: I remain unwavering in my commitment to fixing our healthcare system and making it a true pillar of strength for our community. Last month, I formally called on Governor Albert Bryan Jr. to declare a Hospital State of Emergency in the Virgin Islands. The concerns raised in these letters further underscore the critical need for immediate, focused, and comprehensive action.
Too many hospital physicians in the Territory have raised their hand when asked if we are in a hospital state of emergency—underscoring the severity of the crisis. Most alarmingly, our hospital is at risk of losing its Red Cross account, threatening access to vital blood. Supplies for surgeries and emergencies are in short supply. We cannot allow our hospitals services to collapse.
I urge the Governor to act decisively to use any available funds and even consider approaching financial institutions to secure a short-term loan of $20 million—$10 million for each hospital—to immediately address the most critical needs, including staffing, equipment, and vendor payments. These emergency funds are vital to stabilize our hospitals while longer-term reforms are implemented.
Our people deserve better—much better. They deserve a healthcare system that is fully functional, adequately staffed, and properly resourced. I stand in solidarity with our physicians, nurses, and all healthcare workers. I will continue to fight tirelessly to secure the funding, reforms, and attention our hospitals so urgently need—for the sake of every patient, every family, and the future of public health in the Virgin Islands.
For more information, please contact the Office of Senator Ray Fonseca at 340-693-3577 or by email at SenatorRayFonseca@legvi.org
