Health Minister Dr Darroux concerned the nursing service in Dominica is ‘fast nearing critical levels’

​Health Minister Dr Kenneth Darroux acknowledges that the nursing service in Dominica is ‘fast nearing critical levels’, but he adds that some people are making it appear worse than it is, and he has pledged government support for staff of the Ministry of Health.
 
Darroux said he met with nurses recently, and their concerns were discussed. He recently stated on a local radio show, “Just to reassure Dominicans, I think the situation with the nursing attrition is serious … but some people are making it appear to be so grave; okay, yes, it is fast nearing critical levels”.
 
Officials at the Ministry of Health have also raised concerns over the exodus of nurses from Dominica after Hurricane Maria. According to figures from Health Ministry statistics reveal that some 14 nurses including retirees departed the island since hurricane Maria. In 2017, a total of 14 nurses including retirees also left the island, making it a total of 28 nurses in two years. Health officials fear this could have an impact on health services on the island.
 
Meanwhile, the Dominica Nurses Association is blaming the government for “nurses leaving Dominica in droves”. A Nurses Association official said, “We are very disturbed by what appears to be the inability of the Health Ministry and by extension, government after government after government, to make the healthcare environment more positive, attractive and caring enough to retain adequate numbers of home-educated nurses”.
 
Dr. Darroux said he recently met with a wide cross-section of nurses at the Princess Margaret Hospital, and they said money was not the issue. He described the meeting as good and cordial “where we listened to them, and gave them the opportunity to express their concerns openly, frankly and respectably, so that we could take cabinet decisions for some immediate measures, that will bring some sort of relief for some of the little things that they’ve been requesting”.
 
Darroux added, “They’ve also been asking for a one-time uniform allowance, meaning that a number of homes were destroyed, or completely blown away by Hurricane Maria, along with with their uniforms.  We have approved a $500 one-time allowance, so that they can restock their uniforms”.