Dr. Grace Walters Lauds Decentralization of Healthcare and Community-Based Care

By Shelena O’garro

Dr. Grace Walters, Unity Labour Party (ULP) candidate for North Windward, has described the decentralization of healthcare in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as “tremendous,” citing its role in making medical services more accessible to citizens across the country.

Speaking on the Star Street Beat programme with Sehon Marshall, Dr. Walters said the addition of polyclinics and modern medical facilities has transformed healthcare delivery, allowing Vincentians to access essential services closer to home. She explained that this development also fulfills important requirements set by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which measures a country’s ability to provide healthcare access across its population.

“The decentralization of healthcare from Kingstown has made it easier for patients to access services such as x-rays, checkups, and follow-up care without having to travel long distances,” Dr. Walters said. “This removes distance as a factor in further trauma and makes it especially easier for elderly patients who need regular care.”

Dr. Walters also drew on her own experience as a community nurse, noting that the role gave her the opportunity to serve entire families, not just individuals. “Community nursing allows you to learn how people care for themselves and to help identify both the problems and the people within communities who can assist in addressing them,” she explained.

Turning to the issue of affordability, Dr. Walters reminded listeners that while healthcare is costly worldwide, in SVG the government bears the majority of the cost in the public sector. With fees unchanged despite advances in medical technology, she said the government’s policy remains clear: “Healthcare is not for revenue generation—it is a human right.” She also emphasized the link between wellness and prosperity, adding, “How healthy you are dictates how wealthy you can be.”

She stressed that these policies—community outreach, preventive care, and decentralized access—together strengthen healthcare equity in SVG, ensuring that rural and urban patients alike can benefit from the same high standard of care.