by Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): Information reaching our news desk indicated that no doctors were present at the Joseph N France General Hospital and the Pogson Medical Facility on Friday evening (March 3).
WINN reached out to Dr. Jenson Morton, Director of Health Institutions, who said he had no comment on the reports of no doctors showing up to work on Friday but assured the reporter that there are doctors there now.
At news time, WINN could not confirm or deny the absence of doctors in the two health institutions, but it may have all boiled down to a scheduling conflict.
One health professional shared that at the Pogson Medical Facility, that was a staffing and scheduling conflict that was rectified, but they said they could not speak to the situation at JNF Hospital.
Regarding health workers’ dissatisfaction, the professionals WINN spoke with indicated issues with the current operations of the hospitals outside of scheduling and staffing issues.
According to the health workers, there are issues with new policies being implemented, and one even reported claims of victimisation.
When pressed for details, the sources declined to give specifics and asked for anonymity.
In a release from the Ministry of Health, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sharon Archibald, said JNF and Pogsonare covered 24/7 by doctors alongside the nurses.
“Stabilization and transformation must take place simultaneously, so changes must and will take place to ensure better health care and better outcomes for our patients. The Ministry would like the general public to know that both Emergency Rooms at the Joseph N France General Hospital and the Pogson Hospital in Sandy Point are covered 24/7 by doctors alongside the nurses.”
More on this as information becomes available.
