Following a walkthrough of the Basseterre Health Center earlier today, Monday, November 28, Prime Minister and Minister of Health, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew pledged the Government’s commitment to improving the physical and digital infrastructure of the health institution.
Prime Minister Dr. Drew said, “This is really the flagship health centre for community health in St. Kitts and therefore it is important that we make sure that this health centre gets the necessary attention that it needs.”
Monday’s walkthrough afforded the Prime Minister the opportunity to meet with and hear the concerns and views of the management and staff concerning the day-to-day operations at the health centre.
Chief among the concerns raised was the need for the digitization of records—an issue Prime Minister Dr. Drew said his administration intends to address with urgency.
“As we plan out our ICT system, we want to make sure that digitization at this institution, whether it is the records or whether it is patient care or any other way, that those are addressed. We need new systems to be put in place to make this place much more efficient and that is from all levels I would say,” the Health Minister said.
He added, “I think that the Basseterre Health Center needs some work and we will commit to making sure that that work is done as well to serve the people in the environs but not only them [because] this health centre serves all the other health centres in St. Kitts and so we will make sure that we work towards that.”
Director of Community Health Services, Dr. Sheneil Isles thanked the Honourable Prime Minister for taking the time to personally visit and to see firsthand and hear about the different challenges being faced at the institution.
“It was really a pleasure to have the Minister of Health and Prime Minister, Dr. Drew, being here with us at the Basseterre Health Center to get an idea of what we do on a regular basis at community health services. Hearing the concerns of the management team as well as the staff on the ground, I think that is certainly something that is appreciated, so we look forward to some of the outcomes as it relates to the digitization of the healthcare system, also staffing and some of our needs that we would have expressed to him,” Dr. Isles said.
Following his walkthrough at the Basseterre Health Center, the Honourable Prime Minister also visited the Cardin Home where he interacted with the residents and staff.
After seeing the physical state of much of the facility, Prime Minister Dr. Drew gave the Government’s commitment to improving the infrastructure there as well.