During Tuesday’s sitting of Parliament, Moses Jn Baptiste, Minister for Health, Wellness, and Elderly Affairs, made an impassioned plea to the public to end the troubling practice of abandoning loved ones at hospitals during the Christmas season.
The minister highlighted how this habit places undue strain on already overburdened healthcare facilities.
“It is Christmas time, Mr. Speaker, and it’s always a very challenging period for our health professionals,” Jn Baptiste stated. “At the hospitals, especially in the emergency departments, Christmas is an incredibly busy time.”
The minister disclosed a disheartening trend. According to him, relatives bring family members to medical facilities during the holiday season, only to leave them behind until after Christmas.
This practice, he noted, has been observed at major healthcare institutions, including the Owen King EU (OKEU) Hospital, St. Jude Hospital, and even the private Tapion Hospital.
“It is very unfortunate and sad, Mr. Speaker, that we see an increase in the number of patients brought to hospitals during Christmas, only for their families to disappear until after the holidays,” he lamented.
Jn Baptiste emphasised the ripple effects of such behavior, pointing out that it leads to overcrowded facilities and deprives emergency cases of critical bed space.
He also revealed that some individuals have been abandoned at hospitals for years, turning healthcare institutions into long-term care homes.
“It is very clear what is happening,” he continued. “I want to encourage Saint Lucians: Christmas is a time for caring and compassion. Let us not shift the responsibility of caring for our loved ones onto the hospitals. What we are doing is placing unnecessary pressure on these facilities and occupying beds meant for emergencies.”
This practice he describes as “long-stay” patients—those who remain in hospital beds due to being unclaimed or abandoned by their families.
He reminds the guilty individuals of the spirit of the season, urging citizens to demonstrate genuine care and support for their family members. “Christmas is a time when we must truly care for each other,” the Minister declared.
