PM Drew reaffirms Commitment to Strengthen Healthcare as First-Ever MRI Unit Nears Completion at JNF Hospital

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthen and expand healthcare services as the Federation’s first-ever MRI unit begins its final stage of installation at the Joseph Nathaniel France (JNF) General Hospital in Basseterre. This new step in the health sector was taken to reduce the cost of healthcare services for the people of St Kitts and Nevis by reducing their travel expenses for basic diagnostic imaging.

The announcement was shared via a post on Facebook, with PM Drew sharing, “No more waiting. No more flying out. We are transforming healthcare right here at home. Our people deserve access to world-class diagnostics, and we’re delivering it. This is what progress looks like.”

 New staff hired at JNF Hospital 

Moreover, the emergency service at the JNF General Hospital has been reinforced with the introduction of 11 new staff members. This group of people began working at the hospital on Monday, July 14th, after they completed an 8 weeks Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic Training program earlier this year. The new staff includes six EMTs, three orderlies and two paramedics. This marks the first time paramedics have been employed in the healthcare system of the Federation.

Dr Jenson Morton, Director of Health Institutions at the Ministry of Health, said, “We have never had paramedics in our system before, so it is the first time we are having them as part of the team. The new employees are going to be distributed throughout the island. However, at the beginning they will be at JNF, but eventually they will be put into the system and anyone can go anywhere.”

Notably, the training program started in February 2025, and was conducted by the In-service Department of the hospital. Delbert Wilkes, a senior EMT Officer from the hospital’s In-service Department, led the eight-week training. Also, all eleven participants were provided with their certification on the successful completion of their training.

Further, Dr Morton added, “We are doing a gradual onboarding, and the first six have been onboarded as the EMTs. Another three we have onboarded them in the interim as orderlies, but we do have intentions to also eventually onboard them as EMTs in the system as well, but they do have the full training and the full certification, so we are happy that we are seeing the expansion of the department.”

The new team members include:- .

• Orderlies: Mr Nige Brandy, Mr Degen Elliot, Mr Yasmani Lopez
• EMTs: Mr. Rowan Trotman, Mr. Jervon Bonnie, Mrs. Gabrielle Williams, Ms. Saidah Liburd, Ms. Desanna Whyte, Mr. Janover Noa
• Paramedics: Jorge Iribar Mr Opealuwa Ostiye