Rental transplants to be available in St Kitts and Nevis: PM Terrance Drew

Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis: Dr Terrance Drew, Prime Minister and the Minister of Health of St Kitts and Nevis, announced that the government has planned to make rental transplants available in St Kitts and Nevis.

He mentioned that this step would benefit the people who want to catch the plane and go overseas but fail to do so. He said, “Such people die sooner than they should as they fail to have access to transplants. As a Health Minister, I cannot let the people of my country die.”

Additionally, he motivated the public to eat well, exercise, keep their pressure under control, sugar, and change their lifestyle.” Besides this, he assured that if any unfortunate situation occurred and the end-stage renal disease was developed, then the option of renal transplant must be available. “We are going to launch the renal transplant programme,” Dr Drew was quoted saying.

He also assured the general public of the Federation that the administration will continue to strengthen and upgrade the healthcare services. He said that special attention will be paid to the vulnerable section of society.

The announcement was made by PM Dr Drew during the ‘Issues Programme’ through Freedom FM on July 26, 2023 (Wednesday). The Prime Minister also highlighted that the infant mortality rate in the country has witnessed a reduction, focusing that St Kitts and Nevis is becoming one of the safest places for childbirth.

He commented, “St Kitts and Nevis is on the path to becoming the safest place on the planet to get pregnant and have a child. We will push no maternal deaths in the Federation.” PM Drew added, “The twin-island Federation has four experienced gynaecologists at the JNF Hospital, who have largely contributed towards seriously cut in the number of deaths here in St Kitts and Nevis; therefore, I want to say to our people that St Kitts and Nevis would become one of the safest places on earth to become pregnant and have a child.”

In this regard, PM Drew stated that the Health Ministry has partnered with the World Paediatric Project (WPP) to train nurses and other medical staff in neonatal care. He also added that within the next week, a team from Canada will visit the Federation to train the medical staff of the Hemodialysis Unit of the JNF General Hospital.