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Basseterre, St. Kitts – September 18, 2025 — The escalating crisis surrounding dialysis treatment at the Joseph N. France General Hospital (JNF) has now drawn sharp scrutiny from a seasoned voice in the nation’s healthcare administration. Former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Douglas Wattley, has raised a series of urgent and pointed questions following reports from patients that their dialysis sessions were suddenly suspended without explanation.

In a public social media statement, Wattley pressed for answers that go far beyond temporary disruptions, striking at the core of the dialysis unit’s management, staffing, and equipment maintenance.

“In so doing, please tell me if you are talking about the nursing head or the medical head of the dialysis unit. Do we have a nephrologist at the JNF? Is the head of whom you speak trained in dialysis? How many technicians, nurse or otherwise, are trained in dialysis? How many trained personnel are available to work? Are the dialysis machines properly maintained? Are the dialysis machines in working order? Are there sufficient non-human resources to run the dialysis unit?”

Mounting Questions on Competence and Oversight

Wattley’s intervention raises unsettling questions about whether the hospital has the specialized expertise and resources required to manage a dialysis program effectively. His queries highlight the need for clarity on:

• Leadership Structure: Whether the unit is overseen by properly qualified personnel, particularly a nephrologist.
• Staff Training: The number of nurses and technicians who are adequately trained in dialysis procedures.
• Equipment Reliability: The maintenance and operational status of dialysis machines, which are lifelines for patients.
• Resource Availability: The sufficiency of both human and non-human resources to keep the unit functioning at required standards.

Silence from Authorities

Thus far, neither the Ministry of Health nor the hospital administration has issued a detailed statement addressing these systemic concerns. Patients and their families, however, continue to voice anxiety as they grapple with uncertainty over when — or if — their treatments will resume.

A Call for Transparency and Accountability

Wattley’s comments underscore the growing demand for transparency, accountability, and immediate corrective action to prevent a full-blown public health disaster. For patients dependent on regular dialysis to survive, every unanswered question and every missed session represent not just administrative failure but a direct threat to human life.

As public concern deepens, the spotlight is now firmly on the Ministry of Health and hospital leadership to respond with clarity, action, and compassion — before lives are lost in a crisis many believe could have been prevented.