The prolonged closure of the All Saints Community Clinic was driven by serious sewage and safety problems that posed risks to staff and patients, Health Minister Sir Molwyn Joseph said, as he addressed questions about the long-delayed reopening of the facility.
Speaking at a recent media briefing, Joseph said the clinic was closed after long-standing complaints from nurses about sewage fumes backing up into critical areas of the building, including the kitchen and dining spaces. He said the conditions were unacceptable for the delivery of healthcare and required more than superficial repairs.
The minister said drainage pipes at the facility were improperly designed as part of the sewage system, resulting in recurring foul odors and health concerns. He noted that nurses had raised the issue for years before the decision was taken to close the clinic and undertake major corrective work.
Joseph said the government opted to address the underlying infrastructure problems rather than reopen the clinic prematurely. Planned work includes a redesign of the sewage system, repairs to leaks and an expansion of the facility to accommodate additional services, including a dental clinic and a larger pharmacy.
While acknowledging frustration in the All Saints community over the length of the closure, the minister rejected claims that residents have been deprived of healthcare services. He said patients were redirected to nearby clinics, including the Glanvilles Polyclinic, though he acknowledged transportation challenges and said improvements are being pursued.
Joseph said the aim is to reopen the All Saints facility as a modernized clinic that meets higher public health and safety standards. He added that reopening timelines will depend on completing the necessary infrastructure work and ensuring the facility is safe for both patients and healthcare workers.
Health officials said further updates will be provided as repairs progress and designs are finalized.
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What’s new here, Sewage and Safety Issues is what permeates the entire Administration. That’s why they should be carted out next election so Antigua and Barbuda can shine like before. By the way what has become of Faithful #1, can’t abide to Top Dawg anymore
… And yet with all these types of health related issues still plaguing the country by this woeful and negligent ABLP government; didn’t I read somewhere that Prime Minister Browne was encouraging the Antiguan Diaspora to return home to live?
Please forgive me if I’m wrong. I may have dreamt this … 😉
Whatever the problem with the All Saints clinic, resolving it and getting it up and working was far more important than some of the wasteful things that we engage in, for example the One Nation Concert. It is a matter of prioritizing things. We continue to spend money like we print them here and we do not prioritize the very critical things. No health facility should remain closed for months like this. It simply shows the little regard we have for health services and the people who depends so heavily on them.
Any surprises here?
Let’s get it straight..I’m not here advocating that there are any perfect place on this earth to live, but my goodness me, Antigua and Barbuda should be way better that what they are right now, and that’s a fact.
Everyone is up in arms about US visas and how bad Antiguan’s are living in the states, but right here at home we have major issues that are being ignored or just simply just add a bandaid to.
This health minister has been a joke for years now, but yet still he’s still there, how?
By the time Antiguan’s wake up, their island and culture would be lost. C’mon man.
Smdh.
The picture taken by Dwaine Looby is not All Saints Clinic, that is Clare Hall Clinic. If you zoom in you see the name on the sign.
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