…reports claim three died from shortage
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE Ministry of Health, on Saturday (Apr. 16), vehemently denied claims that there is a shortage of oxygen at the Joseph N France General Hospital, following reports that three ailing persons allegedly died due to the lack of oxygen.
Several individuals took to social media to report that their relatives, including a one-year-old, died due to no oxygen being available at the Federation’s premier health facility.
Another claimed that a male succumbed while being transported to the hospital because of the lack of oxygen within the ambulance.
Late Friday afternoon, the Ministry in a statement said it was recently made aware of several social media posts, claiming that there is a lack of oxygen supply at the JNF General Hospital, and “categorically denies these claims”!
The Ministry said the “claims are spurious and mischievous, and the Ministry condemns this falsehood as an attempt to foster negative sensationalism to bring the institution and the Ministry into disrepute”.
Though SKNVibes News cannot independenly verify those claims, it is hard to believe that individuals would seek to make such allegations against the health facility.
But the Ministry is adamant that there is no oxygen shortage, pointing out that it “emphatically informs the general public that there is and has always been adequate amounts of oxygen at the hospital”.
Speaking to two recent deaths, the Ministry extended condolences to the family but noted that the matter is currently being looked into at this time, but emphasised that they are not linked to oxygen shortage.
“Furthermore, the Ministry of Health is aware of two recent fatalities central to these claims and wishes to extend profound condolences to the grieving families on the loss of their loved ones. The Ministry would also like to inform the public that the circumstances surrounding both deaths are being further reviewed and the families will be informed, accordingly. “The Ministry must however confirm that the aforementioned deaths are not associated with a lack of oxygen at the hospital, nor are they related to the absence of oxygen within its emergency response vehicles and units,” the statement read.
The statement went on point out that “the Ministry is also satisfied that the standard protocol to ensure ambulances are continually maintained in a well-equipped state with the necessary supplies and staff to respond urgently and manage emergency situations has not been breached and reaffirms its commitment to having adequate supplies of essential resources at all times at the JNF General Hospital and promoting the highest quality of care always for best health outcomes”.
