Last Updated on May 12, 2023, 3:18 AM AST by Anthony Morris
The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, was recently featured in an interview with the state media members. Representatives from various media houses were present at the roundtable interview. During the interview, the Prime Minister interacted with the media on several critical means of national importance. In these meetings, Prime Minister Drew talked about the developments in the country’s healthcare sector.
The Government of St Kitts and Nevis, under Prime Minister and Minister of Health Dr Terrance Drew, has made great strides in improving the standard of healthcare delivery in the Federation through procuring critical pieces of medical equipment, training medical personnel and introducing the services of medical specialists at the Joseph N France General Hospital.
However, Prime Minister Dr Drew said his government intends to do more for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. During The Roundtable interview with media members on Thursday, May 11, 2023, Dr Drew said the Ministry of Health intends to widen the scope of services offered here in St Kitts and Nevis.
According to the update shared by the Prime Miniter, Dr Terrance Drew, his ministry is exploring the possibility of a renal transplant at the JNF Hospital. Preliminary discussions have already been held with a specialist in this regard.
“I know we have received the dialysis machine; we have received the general surgeons and increased the surgical equipment for anaesthesiology. I am bringing in a very experienced anesthesiologist.”
Dr Terrance Drew stated that he has already spoken to him–he is Kittitian born–to join our experienced team that is already there. I am touching base with the lab to do the cross-matching that would tell you if someone can receive a kidney from someone else. Additionally, Prime Minister Drew stated that the surgeon I am bringing here in the next six weeks would start [looking at] the possibility of having a renal transplant here.
I am going to push it so that next year we can pursue our first renal transplant in St. Kitts,” Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew said. Renal, or kidney transplant, transfers a healthy kidney from one person to the body of another person with little or no kidney function. The health minister said these medical services are becoming more necessary today.
“There are a lot of our people who are on dialysis. Dialysis helps significantly, and we need to pursue it. I would always say that prevention is better; control the blood pressure, blood sugar, weight and what you eat; these are the most important things, but for those who are already ill,
Dr Terrance Drew stated that we want to do everything we can to help them, and dialysis is very good, but the best way is to have a renal transplant. Renal transplant is becoming routine, and when I see all the patients who go to JNF for dialysis, these young people, why can’t they have a renal transplant?
Their brother might be able to donate, their sister, their cousin, a friend or a good Samaritan that would give them a new lease on life that, of course, they cannot totally and fully enjoy just on dialysis,” Prime Minister Dr. Drew added.
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.
