Residents in the south of Saint Lucia requiring dialysis treatment are expected to benefit from improved access to life-saving care following the commissioning of the new Dialysis Unit at the Augier site of St. Jude Hospital.
The opening of the facility on July 29, 2026, marked another milestone in the Government’s phased commissioning of St. Jude Hospital and forms part of wider efforts to strengthen healthcare services and improve access to specialist treatment closer to where patients live.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Jenny Daniel said the transition of dialysis services to the new facility was carefully planned to ensure that no patient experienced an interruption in treatment.
“The Ministry of Health is cognizant of the nature of dialysis and the service that is required by dialysis patients. The fact that you know when you need to be dialyzed, you need to be dialyzed. And, you know, if you don’t receive the dialysis that is required, it can be life-threatening,” Daniel said.
She explained that temporary arrangements were made with other dialysis providers while the new unit was being prepared for operation.
“So we ensured that we had an arrangement in place with the other facilities who normally dialyze patients, referred by the Ministry of Health, and we ensured that we put in place the system and the finances that would allow for those patients to continue to receive dialysis while the transitioning was taking place,” she said.
Daniel noted that dialysis services at the George Odlum Stadium had to be suspended during the transition, making continuity planning essential.
“During the transitioning process, we would have stopped dialysis at the stadium, and of course the dialysis unit would not have been ready to receive patients until today. And so during this time, during the days that fell in between, we ensured that there was continuity of service for the patients.”
She stressed that relocating the service involved months of technical preparation rather than a simple transfer of equipment.
“So the move of the dialysis services from the stadium to this Augier site has not been an overnight move,” Daniel said.
“I know that the general public has been concerned and clamoring for the quick movement, but the success of the move here today speaks to a lot of foundational work that took place.”
Daniel said technical officers worked closely with Renal Dynamics, a specialist company that travelled to Saint Lucia to support the installation and commissioning of the unit.
“We worked with our technical officers, with the company Renal Dynamics, who has travelled to Saint Lucia to provide us with that support and assistance, ensuring that the correct units were put in place, that the water systems were fully operational, electrical systems and everything. And this is what has contributed to a successful move to the dialysis units.”
Health Minister Moses Jn Baptiste said the new department addresses a long-standing need for patients living in the south of the island.
“We know that there are many individuals who live in the south of St. Lucia who require dialysis services,” the minister said.
“In our experience, we know that over the years, many patients had to wait and other patients had to go to Castries for dialysis.”
He said the new unit will improve access while reducing the financial and logistical burden on patients and their families.
“This improved department will certainly provide opportunities for individuals from the south who require dialysis. It will help them in terms of transportation, saving transportation costs and also being able to access the service closer to home.”
The commissioning of the dialysis unit represents another phase in the Government’s ongoing development of St. Jude Hospital, with officials maintaining that the investment reflects a continued commitment to strengthening Saint Lucia’s healthcare system and improving the quality of care available to patients across the island.