St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Terrance Drew announces construction of new JNF General Hospital

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew announced that the construction of the new Joseph N France (JNF) General Hospital will begin very soon. This has followed the completion and approval of all site plans, feasibility studies, and environmental and social impact assessments.

The Prime Minister shared the information during a site visit on December 12, 2025. Accompanying him were Republic of China (ROC) Ambassador Edward Ling-wen Tao, Overseas Engineering  Construction Company (OECC) representatives, Ambassador Leon Natta Nelson, and senior officials from the Ministry of Health and JNF General Hospital.

During the visit, the site was officially handed over to OECC, to start the construction work. “Following this endorsement, the approved plans were formally handed over at the hospital site to Mr Darwin of OECC, the main construction company from the Republic of China Taiwan. With this handover, OECC now assumes full responsibility for the site, signalling that the project is firmly on the path toward full construction,” shared PM Drew via an official Facebook post.

PM Drew said that the handover marks the end of a long planning stage and start of actual development. He explained that all the technical, environmental, and regulatory requirements were checked by the government before proceeding with the construction and preparatory works.

The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis further mentioned that the new JNF General Hospital will be a modern and climate-resilient facility. It will serve the current and future healthcare needs of the country and will also improve national preparedness and resilience. 

The post further reads, “This achievement reflects careful planning, institutional coordination, and sustained commitment by all stakeholders. The new national hospital will usher in a higher standard of healthcare delivery, strengthen our health system, and generate employment opportunities for our people throughout the construction phase and beyond.”

More job opportunities and major economic upliftment

Ambassador Leon Natta said that the project has reached its first large-scale achievement with the approval of the designs and drawings. The next step is the finalization of land surveys and the residents will be informed of the changes that will be made to site access and traffic flow. He also said that the construction process will create more job opportunities and local participation. 

PM Drew highlighted the major economic impact that the hospital has even before its construction through job creation, increased economic activity, and community upliftment. “This will provide a lot of jobs for our people in the construction field of all sorts and all kinds,” stated the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis.

The project will also create several job opportunities indirectly through supply chains, transportation, services, and ancillary industries. In addition, construction-related employment will increase as work on the site further progresses. 

PM Drew also underscored the strong partnership with the Republic of China (Taiwan). He said that Taiwan has been very supportive in the development of modern healthcare infrastructure in St Kitts and Nevis.

The construction of the new JNF General Hospital was possible through a partnership between St Kitts and Nevis, Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Overseas Engineering & Construction Company (OECC). It is a major part of the government’s long-term investment in developing healthcare infrastructure, improving economic resilience, and enhancing national development.