The government of Saint Lucia, over the past 25 years, has partnered with the Cuban government to deliver health care services, including eye care services in the public health sector. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant disruption of the provision of essential health services, including the delivery of the Eye Care Services at the former Victoria Hospital, which was used as the Respiratory Hospital, during the COVID-19 response. In 2022, according to the World Health Organization, more than 2 billion people were living with a vision impairment and of these, at least 1 billion people were needlessly living with poor vision due to lack of access to eye care services, globally. In Saint Lucia, the Ministry has observed the growing need for Eye Care and other services in the Public Health Sector and continues to build capacity in several areas.
Post COVID-19 pandemic, the former Cuban Eye Clinic, as it was called was reestablished at the Victoria Hospital in December 2022 and surgeries resumed in January, 2023. However, due to infrastructural and other challenges, the Ministry conducted a thorough assessment of the facility which resulted in the temporary suspension of surgical procedures in March, 2023, whilst all other eye care services continued. The Ministry then put together the phased implementation of a comprehensive programme to strengthen eye services in keeping with the overall agenda of health system reform and strengthening as we accelerate the achievement of the sustainable development goal 3.8, Universal Health Coverage, where essential health services are available and accessible with limited out of pocket spending.
One notable achievement is the phased implementation of the Dr. Betty Wells Urban Polyclinic, comprising the newly established daily 16- hour Urgent Care Unit, the General Medical Clinic, Diabetic and Hypertensive clinic and the new National Eye Clinic. Today, we stand proud to testify of the tremendous amount of work put into transforming eye care services in the public sector through this State-of-the-Art National Eye Clinic. The National Eye Clinic became operational on December 2, 2024, with the merging of the Diabetic Retinopathy clinic, which was once delivered through the former Castries Wellness Centre and the Cuban Eye Clinic, formally housed at Victoria Hospital.
Infrastructural upgrades include the identification of an alternative space, redesigning and retrofitting of the space, installation of additional lightning, air conditioning units, and upgrading of biomedical equipment. The clinic is now equipped with highly sophisticated state of the art eye equipment to include ophthalmic surgical system for cataract and retina eye surgery, phaco-
emulsifier, anaesthesia machine, eye surgical microscope, and laser machines, sterilizing equipment and patient monitors, among others. In addition, new furniture was procured to ensure the comfort of the patients and staff. The new and improved space comprises an operating theatre, preoperative room, recovery room, 3 examination rooms, a small pharmacy, sterilization room, nursing station, large waiting areas, reception, registration and triage areas. In addition, the National eye clinic has 2 consultation rooms and 1 laser room to accommodate the Diabetic Retinopathy clinic. Additionally, staff underwent training in the use of the newly acquired machines, patient flow, and infection prevention and control measures. The qualified team of staff (Cuban brigade and Local) comprises 3 ophthalmologists, 1 optometrist, 1 medical internist, 1 biomedical engineer, 5 nurses, 1 pharmacist, and auxiliary staff.
The Ministry of Health thanks the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for their invaluable support in ensuring the safety of the operating theatre through environmental testing as the Ministry conducted quality checks of the facility. Since commissioning the clinic on December 2, 2024, approximately 60 to 70 persons access various eye care services daily. Also, the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs is pleased to announce the recommencement of surgeries at the National Eye clinic as of October 8, 2025. To date 17 pterygiums cases have been performed successfully and Cataract surgeries will soon follow.
The National Eye Clinic provides the following eye care services to the public:
DIABETIC RETINOPATHY SCREENING
Visual acuity, Retinal imaging and grading
TREATMENT FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
Laser photo coagulation or focal and pan retinal photo coagulation
GERERAL EYE SERVICES
Refraction of the eyes
Ocular pressure of the eyes to test for glaucoma Examination of the eyes
Ultrasound of the eyes Pterygium and cataract surgeries Internal medicine service
Assessment of blood pressure, blood glucose, height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) Education on Diabetes and Hypertension control and life style modification Prescription refills
REFERRALS & COMMUNITY OUTREACH SCREENING
Eye care services are available Monday to Friday and are scheduled as follows: Surgeries are conducted Monday to Thursday
Outpatient visits are conducted on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The public is informed to kindly call Monday to Friday to make an appointment. Community outreach clinics will continue weekly. Persons are asked to contact their community Wellness Centre to find out when the eye specialist will visit their area. Similarly, all patients who are on the waiting list for surgeries will be contacted as to when to come in for their preoperative procedures and surgery date. The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs thanks the public for their patience and assures of the delivery of quality service through the National Eye Clinic.