JNF General Hospital Private Ward Set to Reopen Following Comprehensive Refurbishment — Prime Minister Drew Conducts Pre-Opening Inspection
Ministry of Health, Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, June 24th 2026 -- On Wednesday, June 24th 2026, the Prime Minister and Minister of Health, Dr. the Honourable Terrence Drew, conducted a visit to the Private Ward of the Joseph N. France (JNF) General Hospital to personally assess the progress of its refurbishment and to receive a briefing ahead of the ward's imminent reopening.
The Private Ward has been closed to the public since June 2022, having served as the designated isolation and treatment area for COVID-19 positive patients during the height of the pandemic. Following the conclusion of the acute pandemic period in the summer of 2022, a decision was taken to undertake a comprehensive refurbishment of the ward to bring it up to a modern standard of care prior to its reopening.
The scope of works completed is extensive. The ward underwent significant structural remediation, including complete roofing repairs executed under a contract with Taiwanese construction company, Kuan Jun. Interior works included full repainting of all spaces and thorough professional mould remediation to ensure the ward meets the highest environmental health standards. Each of the ward's fifteen private rooms has been individually refurbished and upgraded with modern furnishings and
fittings. Rooms are equipped with televisions, fully modernised en-suite bathroom fittings, improved bed linens, guest robes, and an enhanced range of personal care and sanitary amenities. The entire unit will also be fully air conditioned, providing complete temperature control throughout. The unit also features a gallery of beautiful images of local island scenery, provided by the Ministry of Tourism.
Prime Minister Drew expressed his satisfaction with the progress observed during the visit and reiterated the importance of this reopening to the people of Saint Kitts and Nevis. It was a particular priority of the Prime Minister and Minister of Health to ensure that the Private Ward would be operational in advance of the upcoming tourism season, given the role that private inpatient facilities play in meeting the needs of visitors to the Federation. Equally importantly, the reopening restores access to private hospitalisation services for the citizens and residents of Saint Kitts and Nevis who have long awaited the return of this option.
The project has been led by Mrs. Lindsey Maynard, Director of Operations and Acting Director of Health Institutions at JNF General Hospital, who has overseen the refurbishment over the course of the past year. The Ministry of Health commends Mrs. Maynard and her team for their dedication and diligence in bringing this project to fruition.
The Ministry is aware that members of the public may have questions regarding the safety of the ward given its prior use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry wishes to provide unequivocal assurance on this matter. Since its closure in 2022, the Private Ward has been subjected to rigorous professional deep cleaning on a quarterly basis. In addition, the hospital's Infection Control Team has conducted comprehensive environmental swabbing of the ward every three months throughout the period of closure. Not a single swab result has returned a positive finding for any pathogen of concern across the entire period of monitoring. The ward has consistently met, and continues to meet, the highest standards of infection prevention and control. The public can be fully confident that the Private Ward is safe and ready for patient use.
The sole remaining preparatory step prior to the formal opening is the finalisation of nursing staffing arrangements for the ward, which is expected to be concluded within the next few days. Once this is in place, the official commissioning and opening ceremony will proceed. The Ministry of Health encourages the public to stay tuned for the formal announcement of the opening date and the details of the commemoration ceremony, which will mark this significant milestone in the delivery of healthcare services in the Federation.
The Ministry of Health remains committed to the continued development and modernisation of healthcare infrastructure across Saint Kitts and Nevis, and looks forward to welcoming patients to the newly refurbished Private Ward in the days ahead.
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