Dear Editor,
The extended weekend will bring more bad experiences for both visitors and residents if the hospital is the only place for us to go to figure out where the pain we feel is coming from. Mr Editor, today, Saturday had many as it has already been marked by numerous road accidents, keeping the Emergency Center at the St. Maarten Medical Center extremely busy. After my personal experience at the hospital, I can tell you that the decision by the Government of St. Maarten and SZV to close the Clinic in Simpson Bay has proven disastrous for healthcare on the island. Both residents and tourists now feel it as we have to wait five hours at the St. Maarten Medical Center before receiving medical attention.
Today has been challenging, leaving me questioning whether the government truly cares about its people. I arrived at the hospital at eight o'clock this morning, and by two o'clock in the afternoon, I was still waiting to be treated. I pay my taxes, and I usually refrain from complaining, but as the saying goes, you stay quiet until the pain becomes personal, and then you scream so everyone can hear. Today, I am screaming because this situation is unbearable.
It's bad enough that, sometimes, even when you finally see the doctors, they can't tell you your issue. Sometimes, they even prescribe medication after medication, hoping one will work. But subjecting people to such long waits, especially with a medical doctor as the Prime Minister, is a real shame. Both locals and visitors are sitting on hard plastic chairs outside the hospital, which is unacceptable for a tourist destination and a country that claims to care about its citizens.
This issue doesn't affect just me; I've witnessed others arriving after me in severe pain, only to be left waiting just as long. I'm not alone in feeling this frustration. My neighbor mentioned something about SZV complaining about the amount of medication prescribed by the doctors at the Clinic in Simpson Bay. I find it hard to believe the government would stop such a valuable service over an issue like that. So, to save a few dollars, they mean I must suffer through terrible service at SMMC.
Where are we headed as a country if we can't resolve our problems? This feels like a personal matter for those in charge, and I am very upset that my Saturday has been spent this way. As someone paying for medical care, I expect timely treatment. We're talking about people's health, and care should be available around the clock.
Furthermore, as a tourist, why would I return to St. Maarten if it means spending my vacation waiting for hours outside a hospital? I cannot accept this and want the government and SZV to make this make sense. I want the Prime Minister, Minister of Health, and the people at SZV to make it make sense. Please bring back the after-hour clinic in Simpson Bay or elsewhere. The current situation is too much for us to bear.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Citizen
