Turmoil over Healthcare Plans for St. Lucia

OVER the last several weeks the traditional and social media have been replete with comments embodying views, speculations, criticisms and denials concerning plans for the physical plant of the St. Jude hospital and the administration of the OKEU hospital.

In the last couple of weeks, the contentious comments have intensified regarding the prospective management arrangement for the OKEU hospital and the structural worthiness of the incomplete physical plant of the St. Jude hospital. In the case of the first hospital, the contention is centred on allegations that the Government intends to privatise the management of that hospital. The Government on the other hand has not provided clarity on that issue nor the strategic objectives which would underpin any decision regarding this.

In the case of the St. Jude hospital, the electronic and print media have been rife with divergent comments on the suitability of the current structure. While some positions seem to be linked to political partisanship, viewpoints of various professional bodies such as a reputable Architectural firm and engineering groups, are in disagreement with that of the Government which considers the current structure as unsuitable for providing the required hospital care.

It is reasonable to assume that the Healthcare currently provided in St. Lucia, should be of prime concern to all. All efforts should be directed at quality healthcare at affordable costs for the broad population and reducing the need for expensive overseas medical care. The OKEU hospital, constructed at high cost funded by the European Union, should represent the pinnacle of any improved healthcare available in St. Lucia, as it would be the ultimate stage in dealing with the sick locally.

It has been publicised that the number of beds expected to be available at the OKEU hospital is fewer than that provided at Victoria hospital which it is planned to replace. The considerations for providing improved quality healthcare therefore have to be expanded to include ways which compensate for inadequate number of beds at the OKEU hospital and the current concerns and feared deficiencies of a completed St Jude hospital.

Some reputable local health experts have from time to time proposed measures that should be put in place to reduce the cost burden of dependence of healthcare on the hospital stage. These were intended to focus largely on providing primary healthcare measures with relatively lower costs implications to all concerned. Interestingly, action or lack of such, in this direction has not generated the level of media commentary which exists for operationally of the OKEU and St. Jude hospitals.

The Editorial of The Weekend VOICE of St. Lucia (19th May,2018) dealt with the Health issue and stated in its second paragraph as follows: “At the very heart of the matter is that St. Lucians at home , as human beings , each have an individual right to good health ,starting with access to proper medical facilities.” I take the opportunity to expand this sentiment to state that as a potential Healthcare seeker and member of the Laypersons class, we are key stakeholders in the Healthcare issue as we are the ones faced with the probability of meeting the cost of expensive medical attention overseas. It is in this regard that I make the following disclosure.

A little over a year ago a family relative was faced with a critical medical condition necessitating overseas medical attention. It is important to clarify at this juncture that the medical issue was an old disease problem which had been attended to and stabilised over several years by local medical doctors. The disease deteriorated, as was natural, to the stage where any further medical rectification necessitated higher level of technical medical treatment overseas. Such is normally pursued in Martinique or the US but such a course was not affordable by the patient.

Discussion of a possible alternative course for the required level of medical attention with a family friend led to the suggestion of trying Health City, Cayman Islands (HCCI). Consideration of HCCI for this purpose had its genesis through earlier disclosure of a successful medical operation experienced by a mutual friend in St. Lucia at a very modest cost through travelling to India for this purpose. Subsequent conversation on this matter revealed that an associated Indian medical establishment was setting up similar medical services in the region, viz Health City, Cayman Islands.

The prospect of seeking medical attention for our patient at that medical institution was explored and supported by the patient’s local doctors. On-line preliminary communication and exchange of medical information with HCCI, was prompt and efficient. HCCI provided an outline of likely preliminary procedures and estimated costs which included hospitality arrangement for the accompanying relative. These allowed for speedy arrangements for travel. Arrangements made by HCCI to facilitate speedy admission upon arrival were very commendable.

The outcome and salient features of this experience in the context of the aim of this letter were as follows: The high tech medical examinations conducted at HCCI engaged some internationally acclaimed specialists from India; the relative accompanying the patient was allowed to witness the televised examinations and the medical deliberations in the course of the diagnosis; given the stage of the patient’s disease, further medical procedures which would be required were compassionately explained to be complex and could not be expedited in the current circumstances of the Cayman Islands; the week long medical procedures and hospitalisation of the patient and the associated hospitality costs of the accompanying relative were a fraction of that estimated for the traditional overseas destinations; The patient, local doctors and family obtained invaluable clarification on the patients’ medical situation which facilitated further decisions relating to the wellbeing of the patient.

In the aforementioned Editorial of The Weekend VOICE a question was posed as follows: “So, what is to be done? Should we borrow a template from elsewhere, or develop one from our own experience? Should we follow a working example India, or enlarge and transplant a smaller sample from a closer and smaller community like the Cayman Islands”?

In response to the fore going, I submit that it should be useful for the relevant policy makers, medical and influential bodies in the Healthcare issue to explore the possibilities for a medical relationship with HCCI or its principals in India. It is noted that the latter have been publicising through the Internet, their objective to expand their activities in High Tec and Low cost Healthcare in the region and internationally. Does this present an opportunity for St. Lucia at this momentous time in its Healthcare pursuits?

Given that St. Lucians are now unable to access the range of medical care which they require locally, necessitating expensive overseas travel, it is my view that every possible avenue that will extend that access locally should be pursued and debated objectively leading to decisions that best serve the needs of the population.