Healthcare Workers Sound Alarm Over Conditions at Juan F. Luis Hospital

Healthcare professionals on St. Croix are publicly raising alarm over what they describe as worsening conditions inside the territory’s hospitals, detailing shortages, unsafe working environments, and administrative failures that they say now threaten patient care and staff well-being. Their concerns, laid out in an open letter to the community, have prompted a formal response from Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, who said the situation reflects a broader, long-standing crisis in territorial healthcare. In the open letter, staff members at the Juan F. Luis Hospital described working conditions they say have become “unbearable,” citing mold, dust, and unsanitary conditions inside aging facilities. According to the letter, some employees have fallen ill as a result of the environment, yet instead of receiving support, staff say they have faced pressure from supervisors who themselves are under strain from leadership. One staff member recounted being asked to pay their own hospital bill d...