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Prime Minister Pierre Has A Clear Vision For Health Care In St Lucia
(MENAFN- Caribbean News Global) By Caribbean News Global
CASTRIES, St Lucia – The government of Saint Lucia continues to invest in expanding health programmes, upgrading infrastructure, and strengthening services so that every Saint Lucian can access the care they deserve.
This affirmation comes from Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, originating from his administration's commitment to“build a modern, people-centred health system that leaves no one behind, through responsible health financing programs.”
The Prime Minister further instilled:“ We have delivered quality healthcare services.”
“The Performance-Based Financing (PBF) programme, launched in June 2023, has already made a difference in the lives of many Saint Lucians by strengthening the delivery of screening and treatment services for Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension at Wellness Centres. Since its implementation, several individuals aged 18 and older have accessed screening, risk assessments, and laboratory tests at no cost, helping to detect and manage these conditions early. My government remains committed to ensuring that every citizen has access to quality healthcare, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of these life-changing health programmes.” #MovingForwardTogether
The opening and commissioning of St Jude hospital, 16 years after the hospital fire, during the term of former UWP Prime Minister Stephenson King, is on track for completion.
“Preparation for the transition from the functioning SJH at the stadium to the new facility is underway. Finance for the Transition Team has been provided in the estimates, and the commissioning has commenced. This time, there has been consultation with all stakeholders of the facility. To ensure the adoption of global standards for operating the new facility, we have engaged Accreditation Canada. The local contractor has assured me that work at the hospital will be completed this year.”~ Budget 2025/2026.
“Even in the face of divisive and violent rhetoric from the opposition,” said Prime Minister Pierre,“my focus has remained and will always remain on building a better, safer, and more united Saint Lucia. Leadership is not about chaos but about staying true to purpose. Every policy, every project, every initiative we pursue is rooted in one goal: improving the lives of our people.”
Health Minister Moses Jn Baptiste insists that the St Jude hospital will open to the public by the end of 2025.
“The physical work is almost complete,” adding.“Furniture is already being put in many of the rooms, equipment [is] already in Saint Lucia and being installed... very soon, as the prime minister has indicated, we keep to our promise that we are going to transition the hospital.”
“The construction itself is at an extremely advanced phase.... What's mostly left is the equipment, the room loading and the transitioning,” said permanent secretary in the ministry of health, Jenny Daniel.
Prime Minister Pierre previously advised that“investing in health makes our economy stronger. When people are healthy, everyone has more opportunities to succeed.”
The government continues to modernise wellness centres, make emergency response systems more accessible to all citizens to complement the opening of St Jude hospital, the Prime Minister assured.
“Ensuring that our citizens and medical practitioners visit and work in comfortable environments has been part of our priorities since we assumed office in 2021. My administration has invested heavily in health infrastructure across Saint Lucia,” he said.
The 2021 manifesto of the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) said:
“Government will pursue a health policy that is patient-centred, evidence-based, equitable, accessible and affordable. The main focus of our health policy. We shall ensure that the health and safety of all consumers are protected through strengthened consumer protection legislation and adequate market surveillance activities. There will be no privatisation of Saint Lucia's public health care services; however, a Labour government will incentivise the provision of private health care services not publicly available, in order to enhance the level of health services on island.”
The article 'Prime Minister Pierre focuses on people-centred strategy to build a stronger and competitive St Lucia ' noted : National Health Insurance (NHI) – Coverage for all (75,000 coverage) – like a big tent party – and Universal HealthCare (UHC) – incomplete at the chronic stage of a health crisis NHI and UHC are descriptive of a variable that must be better framed, not only to the unsuspecting voter in this election cycle, but to the general well-being and the greater good of the public. Not special interests!“ Universal Health Care promises access, but National Health Insurance guarantees it, sustainably, ” the UWP said in a social media post. #RightTheWrong! “ With NHI, everyone is guaranteed access when they need care. It's fair, transparent and built to last, ensuring that every Saint Lucian has access to quality healthcare today, tomorrow and for generations to come, ” says the UWP.
Universal Health Coverage, Saint Lucia:
“For Saint Lucians, UHC means equitable access to high-quality, affordable healthcare for all, regardless of age, income, or socio-economic status. It is an inclusive approach designed to serve the entire population, ensuring that every citizen-from children to the elderly-has access to essential healthcare services for a healthier, more fulfilling life. Our goal is to improve the nation's health profile, reduce healthcare costs, and promote sustainable development,” minister Jn Baptiste emphasised.
In Saint Lucia, the three-tiered JIPA Model is central to the government's vision of sustainable, inclusive, and equitable healthcare reform-anchored in shared responsibility and cross-sectoral collaboration.
The JIPA modelThe government proposed UHC framework is guided by the JIPA Model
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Tier 1: Essential government-funded healthcare services such as cancer screening, nephrology, mental health support, dental and eye care-accessible to all citizens, with a strong focus on primary and secondary care.
Tier 2: Enhanced coverage made possible through a combination of employer contributions, private insurance, and government subsidies. This tier supports families and individuals who wish to access broader benefits beyond the essential package.
Tier 3: Catastrophic and overseas care, including high-cost interventions, supported by a dedicated reinsurance mechanism to reduce financial risk.
Building a healthier Saint Lucia UHC advised of future policy directions and organisational reforms:
“To sustain UHC progress, key policy and governance reforms are under consideration:
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Establishing a National Health Authority with cross-sectoral representation;
Developing a Socio-Medical Model for coverage provision;
Strengthening regulatory frameworks for public and private healthcare providers;
Improving health sector communication and stakeholder engagement.
“Saint Lucia is at a pivotal moment in its health sector transformation, investing in health financing, digital health innovations, climate resilience, and primary care strengthening. The country is paving the way toward an inclusive, efficient, and sustainable health system. As UHC continues to evolve, collaboration between government agencies, healthcare providers, and the community will be key to ensuring that every Saint Lucian has access to high-quality, affordable healthcare.”
The Pierre administration is expected to be judged on its performance, not politics, in the upcoming general elections, guided by its 2021 manifesto:
“To create an environment of healthy lifestyles by encouraging regular exercise and healthy eating to reduce, in particular, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes. In the adoption of preventative health care measures, the quality and availability of primary health care on the island will also be enhanced.”
Creating a new culture of a health-conscious society
“[Today], we stand proud to testify of the tremendous amount of work put into transforming eye care services in the public sector through this State-of-the-Art National Eye Clinic,” according to the minstry of health.“The National Eye Clinic became operational on December 2, 2024, with the merging of the Diabetic Retinopathy clinic, which was once delivered through the former Castries Wellness Centre and the Cuban Eye Clinic, formally housed at Victoria Hospital.” Read more here.
Related: Fostering progress: Strengthening health sector reforms for better health in the Caribbean
October 2, 2025, 667 Home Care Providers who assist the elderly, the sick and the helpless under the Elderly Home Care Programme, through the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF), received their permanent letters of appointment.
“Go out there tomorrow with a new sense of purpose, a new sense of dignity, a new sense of awareness that the government has shown confidence in you. You have to show equal confidence in yourself by executing your duties to the best of your ability. For our part, we will ensure that you get a decent wage because we are the government that established a minimum wage for the workers of this country,” said Prime Minister Pierre. Read more here.
In furtherance of the government's commitment to health care the ministry of health, in collaboration with EU-Caribbean Nutrition (EU-CaN) and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) hosted a two-day nutrition workshop under the theme,“ Creating sustainable, healthy school food environments.” Read more here.
Learning from the immense economic and social challenges of Covid-19, develop stronger environmental food handling services and measures for improved hygiene.
Through continued collaboration, innovation, and the promotion of best practices that support both food security and social wellbeing, Saint Lucian b utchers gain advanced skills.“The training focused on proper meat handling, hygiene, and advanced cutting techniques aimed at improving the overall quality, presentation, and market value of locally produced meat.” Read more here.
Tracking of diagnoses and data in real time, preventative measures and treatments as the situation requires, the ministry of Health, together with the rest of the world observed October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and intensifies public health education to improve awareness among women of the importance of screening, the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and to understand the importance of early detection and treatment. Read more here.
Working together, doctors, nurses, volunteers and non-profits and researchers work tirelessly to save lives and to improve the quality of life.
On October 2, 2025, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to establish an Artificial Limb Centre in Saint Lucia. The centre is expected to be completed in 2026 and will be housed at the Tapion Hospital. Read more here.
Through strategic partnerships with organisations like PAHO, Saint Lucia continues to make important strides toward establishing a more inclusive, equitable, and rights-centred mental health system, reports the ministry of health.
In collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the minstry of health launched a joint initiative aimed at strengthening capacity within both inpatient and community-based mental health care. Read more her.
From wellness centres to hospitals, the Pierre administration continues to build a modern, people-centred health system.
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Upgraded Victoria hospital to the Dr Winston C. V. Parris Medical Complex.
The Dr Martin Didier Polyclinic is undergoing expansion, while the Vieux Fort Wellness centre has completed an upgrade.
The Betty Wells Urban Polyclinic is functional.
In demonstration of Prime Minister Pierre's administration's commitment to health care and the well-being of citizens, he emphasised: “I encourage everyone to take advantage of these life-changing health facilities and programmes.”
@GlobalCaribbean
The post Prime Minister Pierre has a clear vision for health care in St Lucia appeared first on Caribbean News Global.
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