Fonseca Calls for a Hospital State of Emergency as Medical Centers Face Deterioration, Staffing Shortages, and Long Wait Times

Senator Ray Fonseca on Tuesday announced that he has urged Governor Albert Bryan Jr. to declare a Hospital State of Emergency to address critical challenges facing the territory’s healthcare system. Fonseca highlighted ongoing staffing and equipment shortages, lack of basic supplies, and the deteriorating state of hospital infrastructure as key reasons for immediate action. He stressed the pressing need for emergency funding to accelerate the design, procurement, and construction of the territory's healthcare facilities, including the Juan F. Luis Medical Center on St. Croix, the Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas, and the Myra Keating Clinic on St. John. According to Fonseca, the modular hospital units currently operating at the Juan F. Luis Medical Center are nearing the end of their seven-year lifespan, raising concerns about significant deterioration by 2028. “Our residents have to wait too long for adequate care, and we have a shortage of emergency beds,” he said, n...