BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE much-needed Oncology Center in St. Kitts and Nevis was declared open yesterday (Dec. 6) at the Joseph N France Hospital, where it is expected to provide continuous treatment for persons who would have returned after being treated overseas.
While addressing Government officials, nurses and doctors at the opening ceremony, Senator with Responsibility for Health Hon. Wendy Phipps explained that the Federation is still being troubled by the high rate of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases.
The Junior Health Minister pointed out that 83% of deaths locally are caused by the Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases of which some 45% are cancer-related.
“Hopefully, today is the dawning of a new era in the delivery of healthcare and our response to Non-Communicable Diseases in St. Kitts and Nevis,” Phipps said.
Notwithstanding, the Minister acknowledge that the Government had recognized that there is a lot of work still to be done, both locally and regionally, in relation to the response to the NCDs.
The Hon. Eugene Hamilton, Senior Minister of Health, stated that the opening of the facility signals another accomplishment of Chronic Disease management, adding that during the 1980s St. Kitts and Nevis and fellow CARICOM member states saw a transition in their health profiles moving away from deadly conditions of diarrhoea and open sores, among others.
“...A closer examination would show that it was a region that has matured and is maturing.”
Following a visit to Antigua and engaging the Head of the Cancer Treatment Centre, Dr. Calvin Browne, Minister Hamilton explained to the media that it was upon returning home that he thought it fit to accelerate the implementation and establishment of the Unit as part of the overall regional programme.
“Antigua has the specialist centre for Radiotherapy and I am looking forward to the date that St. Kitts would have a speciality of which all of the rest of the region can come to St. Kitts for that service.”
The Minister told the gathering that the Government is in the process of making arrangements with the Antigua Cancer Treatment Center to have patients only pay US$10,000 while seeking services there.
“It doesn’t matter how long the course takes, they would pay the flat fee whether it short or long. We think that that would work out better for us because if one looks at the of cost services in North America, over time I have seen claims going over $1M and people are still being served.
“And that is why the Oncology Unit at home provides an opportunity for us to do the oncology at home rather than travel to Antigua.”
Asked what sort of treatment would be administered at the Unit, Hamilton stated that it is those services that would be needed after the initial treatment whereby they would have travelled abroad. Among the treatments he alluded to is that of Radiation.
There is a bio-medical facility that is free of contamination, along with the mixing of a number of chemicals to destroy cancer cells.
The Senior Health Minister declared that they are still things to be done at the Centre and it is expected to be operational in 2017.
