Kidney transplant surgeries to be offered in St.Kitts and Nevis

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#St.KittsandNevis, August 5, 2023 – Kidney transplant surgeries will soon be offered in St. Kitts and Nevis as announced by Prime Minister Terrance Drew.

This development is a big one for the country’s health system and so it will provide kidney transplant services to citizens who are unable to travel overseas to acquire said services.  This was emphasized by Drew during the announcement at the Freedom FM’s Issues program held on Wednesday July 26th, 2023.

“These people are dying sooner than they should because they don’t have access to transplants.  I cannot allow our people to die when we have an opportunity to save their lives,” he highlighted.

Additionally, despite the country’s efforts to enhance health services for kidney patients, he urged residents to make better choices and take better care of their bodies adopting healthier habits such as frequent exercise, having balanced diets, maintaining blood pressure  and sugar levels etc.

But for those who fail to do so and fall victim to kidney ailments, he expressed that the aim is to have a something in place to help them.

“We want to make sure that they have an option for renal transplant and we are going to launch the renal transplant program.”

The kidney transplant surgeries will be provided at the country’s principal healthcare facility, the Joseph N France General Hospital.

In continuation, Drew further spoke to a team which will at some point in the near future, visit St. Kitts and Nevis from Canada to provide specialized training to the Haemodialysis Unit’s staff, to up the use of the recently acquired dialysis machines, further strengthening the nation’s fight against kidney diseases.