Basseterre, St. Kitts and NevisThe Executive Management Committee of the Joseph N. France General Hospital located in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, released a statement on February 28, 2024, to inform the public that there is no crisis in the anaesthesia and surgical services. The hospital has a clear policy of providing 24-hour uninterrupted emergency services, and it currently has four anaesthesia machines to service its two operating rooms. This means that two machines are in use, while the other two are reserved for backup, providing a redundant system.
One of the two active-duty machines had broken down, but it was fixed by the hospital’s in-house maintenance team, and the machines continue to be on standby. The Director of Health Institutions, Dr. Jenson Morton, confirmed that emergency services of the Operating Theatre were never interrupted, and elective procedures resumed fully within a few hours of the issue being reported.
Over the next few days, the hospital will engage in systematic preventative maintenance of its existing machines with the necessary technicians to ensure that all medical equipment is operating seamlessly. The hospital is committed to providing high-quality medical care and services to the community it serves. As it embarks on its accreditation journey, the hospital will continue to focus on improvements and innovations to meet the health needs of the community.