Tweet

MOLINEUX, ST. KITTS – In a move that has stunned residents across the eastern rural districts of St. Kitts, the Mary Charles Hospital — the only major healthcare facility serving the area — has been abruptly closed. The shutdown was confirmed in a public notice issued by the Ministry of Health, citing only “internal maintenance work” as the reason for the sudden closure.

The notice states that the hospital would be closed on Monday, June 16, 2025, and is expected to reopen on Tuesday, June 17. However, the brevity of the statement and lack of detailed explanation have sparked widespread confusion, fear, and anger among citizens.

In the announcement, the Ministry advised that persons in need of medical attention should now seek services at the Joseph N. France (JNF) General Hospital in Basseterre, or the nearest Health Centre. It is also reported that patients already admitted at Mary Charles are to be transferred to JNF.

The closure has been described by many as yet another symptom of a collapsing healthcare system. Residents and concerned citizens have taken to social media to express their frustration, citing what they call a growing pattern of neglect, delays, and mismanagement within the island’s public health sector. Horror stories of long waits, unavailability of medications, and crumbling infrastructure at medical facilities are being posted almost daily.

“This isn’t just a maintenance issue. It’s a reflection of deep rot in our health system,” one citizen wrote in a Facebook comment. “How can you just shut down a hospital like this without explanation or contingency plans?”

This latest disruption comes amid ongoing public concern over the state of national healthcare, and increasing calls for the Ministry to provide full transparency and accountability.

---

Stay with SKN TIMES for continuing coverage as this story develops.