Last Updated on February 27, 2020, 3:13 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Douglas: The NextGen SKN government will give healthcare priority and improve working condition of nurses and workers
Basseterre, St Kitts, February 26, 2020 – The people of St Kitts and Nevis have been assured that improving our healthcare system in the twin-island federation will be priority number one in the NextGen SKN Labour administration.
Political Leader of the St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) the Rt Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas said his party recognises access to healthcare as a human rights issue.
He noted that at the recent inter-sessional Summit held this past week in Barbados, Caribbean leaders highlighted the rapid escalation of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in the region.
“We have a situation where heart attacks, as a result of chronic heart disease, is the highest cause of deaths among all NCDs across the region. Second to this is also the rising epidemic of Cancer. Something must be done and be done immediately in order to prevent, and respond to the looming health crisis in our nation and our healthcare system must be at a level to deal with this,” said the former prime minister.
He emphasised that the nation’s main resource is the people and a healthy nation is a wealthy nation and the opposite applies as well.
“St Kitts and Nevis must be ready to face these alarming trends head on if we are really serious about securing our future,” pointing out that even with all the complaints and all the threats that are looming, Health Ministers, the Hon. Hamilton and Senator Wendy Phipps are still asleep at the wheel.
“Either they don’t know what to do, or they don’t care about the needs and concerns of our people. Rather than respond to people’s concerns and to take proactive steps to even make the most basic of improvements, they prefer to play the blame game – by insulting our nurses,” Dr Douglas said.
“This government has squandered so much money on white elephant projects – over EC$100 million on a spoiled pier; EC$1 million renovating the Prime Ministers private home, EC $4 million on a National Heroes Park which is incomplete and only opens to the public on September 16, and EC$2 million on a bus terminal But when it comes to healthcare we are not seeing any improvements.
“The delivery of quality health care and health services that treats our people with the respect and dignity that they deserve has not been a priority for this coalition government. Only the NextGen SKN will deliver real transformational change to the health sector. It is vital more than ever for us to address and resolve the chronic problems that we are facing at our hospitals and community health centers,” said Dr Douglas.
He further reaffirmed that all the human rights and labour issues involving patients, nurses, doctors, maids, cooks, orderlies and other care givers will addressed at all hospitals and health centers in the federation,” he said on his weekly radio programme “Ask the Leader” on Tuesday night.
Dr Douglas told listeners that within the first six months MRI services will be available to patients on the compound of the J N France General Hospital.
“We will upgrade our health centers and ensure that they are all equipped with the necessary equipment and ensure that our nurses are trained to use them. We will implement a National Cancer Care Policy dealing with all phases from prevention to palliative care. The same goes for Cardio-vascular disease. We will give NCDs the same level of focus and resources that we committed to reigning in HIV/AIDs in our country that led to an over 50% reduction in spread of the decease and the eradication of mother-to-child transfer as a result of the hard work that began under our previous administration,” said Dr Douglas, a veteran medical practitioner.
Dr Douglas also said that the NextGen SKN administration will also implement a new Next Generation Universal National Health Insurance plan that will make healthcare affordable, accessible to all citizens and residents regardless of their socio-economic background.
” As Dr. Drew puts it, healthcare will be established as a human right under a NextGen SKN,” he told listeners.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
