CAY HILL:--- St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) wishes to address recent claims regarding conditions at our facility and provide accurate information to our patients, staff, and the wider community.
The recent heavy rainfall has caused some drainage issues at our facility, resulting in water backup from regular drainage pipes. We want to clearly state that at no point was there sewage water in the Sterilization Department, contrary to recent reports.
SMMC management has been actively addressing this situation:
• Multiple meetings were held with department supervisors earlier this week to address and resolve the drainage issues.
• A requested union meeting on Wednesday could not proceed due to a previously scheduled essential meeting with BES healthcare stakeholders in St. Eustatius.
• Management met with union leadership Thursday morning to discuss their concerns and update on the mitigating actions taken by SMMC’s Facilities & Maintenance Department in the meantime. Management also informed them that the Inspectorate of Health was on site and was satisfied with the mitigating measures taken.
While we respect our staff's right to voice concerns, today's protest activities have unfortunately impacted our operations for patients and visitors. We sincerely apologize to anyone who has experienced delays in receiving care or accessing our facilities.
We want to assure the public that the quality of care has remained uncompromised throughout this period. SMMC maintains strict adherence to all quality and safety protocols, with regular reporting to the Inspectorate of Health and in accordance with all prevailing regulations and laws.
SMMC remains committed to maintaining an open dialogue with our staff and union representatives while ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of healthcare services to our community.