By: E. Williams
Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 9, 2017 – Raw sewage from the sewage treatment plant at the J. N. France General Hospital compound created a stink in the surrounding areas early Thursday.
Credible sources state that raw sewage flowed from the hospital compound into nearby areas as it appears that a drainage system might have also malfunctioned.
Public Health Department officials and a team from the St. Kitts Fire Services rushed to the scene in an effort to contain the flow and clean up the affected areas.
The latest development comes amidst continuing concern about the sorry state of healthcare services in St. Kitts and Nevis under the Team Unity administration.
In recent months there have been complaints over the indiscriminate burning of medical waste.
The infighting between Minister of Health Hon. Eugene Hamilton and his junior minister, Sen. the Hon. Wendy Phipps has resulted in a deterioration in the delivery of healthcare service to the people at the three hospitals in St. Kitts as well as lack of medication and other basic supplies.
The Ministry of Health has also been without several senior officers including a Permanent Secretary, Administrator of Health Institutions, and Principal Nursing Officer for nearly three years.
There is also a reduction in the number of persons entering the nursing profession and the disrespect to nurses by junior health minister Wendy Phipps who referred to nurses as thieves.
Several nurses have also resigned or retired resulting in a severe shortage of nurses on the hospital wards.
Two medical scandals have also rocked the federation in the past few months – an unauthorised stem cell project at the J.N France General Hospital and a herpes vaccine testing operation at a private home on St. Kitts.
The Government of Prime Minister Timothy Harris immediately sent the chief medical officer, Dr. Patrick Martin on pre-retirement leave and then fired him for stopping the illegal stem cell project which was not authorized by him.
The government admitted the Cabinet had given the greenlight for the stem cell project without the knowledge and consultation with the chief medical officer.
Last week, Leader of the Opposition, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas called on the Harris government to clear the air on the use of industrial oxygen instead if medical oxygen at the hospitals in St. Kitts, but the authorities have not responded to date.
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