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Government’s silence deepens outrage as vital treatment suddenly halted

Basseterre, St. Kitts – September 17, 2025 —
The fragile state of healthcare in St. Kitts and Nevis has once again been laid bare, as a dialysis patient has gone public with a chilling account of being abruptly cut off from life-sustaining treatment — without explanation, without warning, and without any indication of when he will be able to resume.

The patient, who requested anonymity out of fear and frustration, revealed that on Monday he received a phone call advising him not to attend his scheduled dialysis session. When he sought clarity the following day, he was met with uncertainty and stonewalling: “There is no indication of when treatment will resume.”

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A Matter of Life and Death

For dialysis patients, missing even a single session can have devastating consequences. This patient is already feeling the physical effects of the disruption and is haunted by the specter of what further delays could mean.

“Dialysis is not optional. It is survival,” the patient stressed, his voice fraught with anxiety. “We deserve better than this. We deserve clarity. We deserve care.”

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Government Silence and Institutional Failure

To date, the Ministry of Health has offered no statement, no explanation, and no plan of action. This silence has only inflamed public anger and heightened fears among the dozens of dialysis patients across the Federation who now wonder if they, too, will be abandoned.

The lack of transparency is glaring. Was the disruption caused by machine failure? Staffing shortages? Lack of medical supplies? Or simple negligence? The refusal to communicate suggests either gross incompetence or a deliberate cover-up.

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A System on the Brink

The dialysis debacle is not an isolated incident. It is part of a larger pattern of healthcare collapse under the current administration. From persistent drug shortages, to malfunctioning equipment at the JNF General Hospital, to patients waiting months for basic tests, the Federation’s health system appears dangerously incapable of meeting even the most urgent needs.

Experts warn that dialysis services are among the most resource-intensive and sensitive areas of care. Any disruption, no matter how brief, can quickly spiral into catastrophe for patients who rely on them three times a week to stay alive.

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Public Outrage and Accountability Demands

The public is already expressing outrage at what many are calling a national disgrace. Social commentators are demanding immediate answers from Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, who also serves as Minister of Health.

“How can the Minister of Health, a medical doctor himself, preside over such negligence?” one observer asked. “Lives are literally hanging in the balance, and yet the government behaves as if nothing is wrong.”

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A Call to Action

The patient’s plea is simple yet damning: urgent intervention and transparent communication. “We are not asking for favors,” he said. “We are asking for our right to healthcare — our right to live.”

Until the Ministry of Health responds, every hour of silence will be seen not only as a failure of policy but as a betrayal of the most vulnerable citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis.

This is not just a medical crisis. It is a moral crisis.

SKN Times will continue to follow this developing story.