The Human Cost of Inaccessible Healthcare in Saint Lucia

The healthcare system in St. Lucia is in crisis, and the human cost is devastating. Despite international recognition of health as a fundamental human right, as enshrined in the World Health Organization’s 1946 Constitution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (1966), the implementation of health rights in practice remains a daunting task. The United Nations emphasizes that “everyone has the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health” (Article 12, International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights).

Notwithstanding, these lofty international mandates, the current state of healthcare in St. Lucia is frightening, as highlighted by Dr. Merle Clarke, President of the St. Lucia Medical and Dental Association. In a condemnatory letter penned to the board of the OKEU Hospital, she described the standard of healthcare as being the worst it has ever been. Public healthcare in St. Lucia is woefully underfunded and overburdened with debt, resulting in shortages of essential trained personnel, medication, supplies, and equipment.

The government’s lack of prioritization of healthcare has led to a brain drain, with many healthcare professionals, including senior specialists, leaving the public sector for greener pastures in the private sector and are going abroad in droves. This is a grave issue that requires urgent attention, as the exodus of skilled healthcare workers further compromises the already strained healthcare system.

The harsh reality is that many people are forced to suffer in silence, unable to afford the medical care they desperately need and deserve. Patients are often required to make substantial cash down payments for critical procedures, which many struggle to meet, leading to delayed or foregone medical interventions.

The foot-dragging of many people, especially men, to regularly visit their doctors is a tragic reality in St. Lucia. The fear and embarrassment of not being able to afford a doctor’s visit, or the inability to afford to fill the prescription, leads many to delay seeking medical attention until it’s too late. This has resulted in a culture of neglect, where preventable illnesses are left to deteriorate, and treatable conditions become life-threatening.

In a desperate bid to raise funds, families are resorting to creative and often heartbreaking measures. BBQ parties, country and western dances, raffles, bingo parties and other community events have become commonplace, as families try to scrape together enough money to pay outstanding medical bills or cover the costs of vital medical procedures. Some are even forced to solicit cash donations from strangers on street corners, in the towns and villages across the country, in a last-ditch effort to save their loved ones. The dignity and pride of these families are compromised, as they are forced to beg for help to access basic healthcare.

Tragically, many patients die while families and loved ones are trying to raise the tens of thousands of dollars and sometimes in excess of a hundred thousand dollars needed. The pain and suffering are heart wrenching as people watch their loved ones slip away, unable to access the medical care that could have saved them. The emotional toll on families is immense, as they are forced to bear the weight of their loved one’s illness, while also shouldering the financial burden of their care.

The most disappointing part of this sorry tale is that the previous administration had taken steps to address this issue by initiating the implementation of a national health insurance program. This program would have provided every citizen with a minimum of $75,000 in medical insurance coverage per year, regardless of their financial or employment status. The National Health Insurance Program would have been a significant step towards ensuring that all St. Lucians have access to quality healthcare. The people voted out that government and installed the SLP administration. Sadly, this essential initiative has not been continued by the current government.

It is imperative that the current government puts aside petty politics and prioritizes the health and well-being of its citizens. This includes implementing the national health insurance program, increasing funding for the public healthcare system, and addressing the root causes of the brain drain in the healthcare sector. These are crucial step towards ensuring that every St. Lucian has access to quality healthcare. This is not only a moral imperative, but also a sound economic strategy, as a healthy population is a productive and prosperous one. As the saying goes, “The wealth of the nation depends upon the health of its people or the health of the people determines the wealth of the nation.”