PHILIPSBURG:--- The team of doctors and nurses from the Aspen Medical International (AMI) that are in St. Maarten since April 8th, 2020 are scheduled to depart St. Maarten by August month-end.
SMN News learnt that a decision was taken earlier this year to have the team leave St. Maarten since the active COVID-19 cases were much lower.
Sources say that the AMI team is burnt out and is ready to leave the island even though millions are being paid by the Dutch Government for the team that is on St. Maarten. The Dutch Government decided to fund the AMI team as part of the relief efforts granted to St. Maarten as they deal with the effects of the coronavirus.
Besides the excessive amount of work with the active COVID-19 cases and hospitalization of patients, it is understood that the team of nurses and doctors are fed up with alleged excessive pressure that is placed on them by nurses and other staff of the St. Maarten Medical Center.
Sources say that at least one nurse was admitted to the COVID-19 pavilion in very serious condition had to be flown out of St. Maarten for further medical care. Besides that, relatives of staff members of the SMMC were also admitted and they criticized the AMI team for the care they have provided.
Currently there are 282 active COVID-19 cases on St. Maarten, 18 of which are hospitalized.
Minister of Public Health Omar Ottley confirmed that he is working on extending the stay of the AMI team but no other details were provided at the time of this publication.
