Montserrat’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Sharra Greenaway-Duberry, and Parliamentary Secretary Crenston Buffonge, are this week visiting the UK Overseas Territory of St. Helena as part of a health systems exchange aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery in both territories.
The July 6 to 10 visit is being facilitated by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and forms part of an ongoing collaboration between the two islands, which face many of the same challenges as small, remote and aid-dependent health systems.
During the visit, the Montserrat delegation will meet with health officials and tour a range of healthcare and social care facilities while exchanging ideas on improving public health services.
Areas of discussion include community engagement programmes, health promotion and disease prevention, emergency medical services, mental health care, smoking cessation initiatives and strategies to address vaping among young people.
The delegation will also visit St. Helena’s hospital, mental health facilities, prison and social care services to observe how the island delivers integrated health and social care.
Parliamentary Secretary Crenston Buffonge said the visit reflects the Government of Montserrat’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with fellow UK Overseas Territories.
“Small island health systems often face similar challenges, from limited resources to workforce constraints, but these challenges also present opportunities to innovate and learn from one another. By strengthening relationships with our fellow Overseas Territories and exchanging practical knowledge and experiences, we are better positioned to develop sustainable solutions that improve healthcare delivery and public health outcomes in Montserrat.”
Chief Medical Officer Dr Sharra Greenaway-Duberry said the exchange offers an opportunity to identify practical approaches that can benefit both territories.
“Although our islands are geographically distant, we face many of the same realities as small island health systems. By sharing experiences in areas such as emergency care, community engagement, mental health and health promotion, we can identify practical solutions that improve the quality of care for our populations.”
Montserrat and St. Helena share several characteristics, including populations of fewer than 5,000 people, integrated primary and secondary healthcare services, and reliance on overseas referrals for patients requiring specialist treatment.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services said these similarities make the exchange particularly valuable, allowing both territories to share experiences, identify innovative solutions and strengthen the resilience of their healthcare systems.
In February, the local Ministry of Health hosted St Helena’s Minister of Health and Social Care, Martin Henry, and Chief Medical Officer Peter Ross as part of the same exchange initiative.
Officials are expected to return with insights that could help inform future improvements to healthcare delivery and public health services in Montserrat.
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