Health in Saint Kitts and Nevis

The Ministry of Health coordinates health services across the Federation, with the Nevis Island Administration Ministry of Health also responsible for services on Nevis. On St. Kitts, local access points include health centres in Basseterre, Newtown, Cayon, Molineux, Saddlers, St. Paul’s, St. Peter’s, Tabernacle, Old Road and Dieppe Bay, as well as Pogson Medical Centre/Hospital in Sandy Point and Mary Charles Hospital in Molineaux. Joseph N. France General Hospital in Basseterre provides emergency care, intensive care, surgery, maternity, paediatrics, laboratory services, pharmacy, haemodialysis, oncology, ophthalmic services and physiotherapy. Government information for 2022 to 2026 records expanded diagnostic and treatment capacity, including a 128-slice CT scanner, MRI, mammography, endoscopy, cataract and laparoscopic services, and 15 additional dialysis machines. The exact service and staffing level should be confirmed with the facility because availability can change. Nevis has six health centres and Alexandra Hospital in Charlestown, its only hospital, with 45 beds. Alexandra provides surgery, medicine, obstetrics, paediatrics, emergency care and support services. Nevis also has an eye clinic, dental units, a Behavioural Health and Wellness Centre and Flamboyant Nursing Home. Nevis health centres generally operate from 8:00 to 16:00 on weekdays and close on weekends and public holidays. Antenatal care is generally scheduled twice a month, but each facility should confirm its current timetable. For a routine problem, the usual starting point is a local health centre or private doctor. Health-centre services include maternal and child health, antenatal and postnatal care, family planning, immunisation, school health, home visits, mental health, HIV testing, men’s wellness, diabetes and hypertension clinics, and minor treatment. Public, private and special-programme access are separate pathways. Residents and visitors should not assume that every service is universally free. Nevis health centres were historically described as primary health-care services without user charges, but a new fee structure began on 15 April 2024. Confirm the current fee and eligibility with the health centre or Ministry of Health before attending. Call 911 for a nationwide emergency. Calls made from Nevis are routed to the federal dispatch centre on St. Kitts. Nevis ambulance services can also be reached at 469-3333. Joseph N. France General Hospital operates an Accident and Emergency department, and Pogson Medical Centre provides doctor coverage around the clock. Five new advanced life-support ambulances entered federal service in 2025. Do not delay emergency care because payment arrangements have not yet been clarified. Specialist and tertiary care is available only in part within the Federation. Joseph N. France General Hospital is developing broader cardiology services for 2026, including a planned outpatient clinic twice a week, 24-hour inpatient cardiology, echocardiography, CT angiography, Holter monitoring and pacemaker services. Cardiac catheterisation is not currently available on the islands, so advanced procedures may require treatment abroad. More generally, local assessment and stabilisation may be followed by a medical referral for overseas care when the required service, equipment or specialist is not available locally. Mental health services include programmes connected with Joseph N. France General Hospital and Cardin Home, including the Cardin Home Mental Health Detention Unit. National services are being expanded through mental-health initiatives and a Safe-Space programme. Nevis has the Behavioural Health and Wellness Centre. Access and capacity should be confirmed directly because the available service can depend on the facility and clinical need. Medication access also depends on the provider and prescription. Since 15 April 2024, Alexandra Hospital Pharmacy has accepted prescriptions from government health facilities when they carry the facility stamp. Prescriptions from private doctors should be taken to private pharmacies. Do not assume that a medicine is available immediately or without a prescription; check with a licensed pharmacy in advance. After hospital treatment, follow-up may take place through Joseph N. France General Hospital, Alexandra Hospital, a health centre or a private doctor. Nevis outpatient appointments are limited, require a physician referral and generally run Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 15:00. Bring discharge papers, test results, the current medication list and any referral. The public National Digital Health Information System has been introduced, but practical coverage and information exchange can differ between facilities, so keep copies of essential records. The Public Health Act provides the legal framework for public-health responsibilities and health-emergency structures. Clinical consent, confidentiality and access to information apply as general principles, while the specific procedure for complaints or obtaining records should be confirmed with the institution involved. Health services on the two islands provide primary, hospital, emergency, maternal and child, mental-health and chronic-care functions, but the Federation does not have a complete local equivalent of universal tertiary care. When a needed service is unavailable, the functional pathway is local assessment or stabilisation followed by a medical referral and, where necessary, treatment abroad.