Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 20, 2016 (SKNIS): Cancer patients in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis will soon receive care from local trained oncology nurses, as the cancer treatment centre to be established at the Joseph N. France General Hospital in late August has demonstrated a need for expertise in the cancer-related medical field.
This was revealed by Honourable Senator Wendy Phipps, the Minister of State with responsibility for Health at the town hall meeting held in Molineux, July 18, 2016.
Senator Phipps said that initially, the nurses working at the centre will have to come from abroad.
“At the moment, we are recruiting some nurses from overseas because we do not have nurses trained here yet in oncology care,” she said. “That is something we’re working towards, so that ultimately we would have our own people improve their skills and their knowledge, so that they themselves can administer the care to our people here in St. Kitts and Nevis.”
Minister Phipps highlighted that, based on the information obtained from hospitals and health centres, locally as well as regionally, “the leading cause of death and illnesses that can lead to death are Non Communicable Diseases.” These are illnesses that are caused by an inactive lifestyle, a family history of the condition, as well as environmental factors. The diseases include diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), certain types of heart disease and specific cancers.
She outlined the necessity of having a cancer treatment centre in the Federation was outlined.
“Just this past week-end we lost three young people all under the age of 40 to cancer, and really it is unfortunate,” Senator Phipps said. “So we hope by the end of the summer that we would have put in place the oncology service, to at least provide chemotherapy to patients who require chemotherapy. So you don’t have to fly out to Trinidad or Barbados, Puerto Rico, Miami or wherever to get that service.”
A minute of silence was held for the three persons who had died from cancer over the weekend as well as persons who had recently died in the community.
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