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Mother Leaves SLBMC With Injured Son After Being Told Doctor Wouldn’t See Patients

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Mother Leaves SLBMC With Injured Son After Being Told Doctor Wouldn’t See Patient
Mother Leaves SLBMC With Injured Son After Being Told Doctor Wouldn’t See Patients
(Facebook post by mother of injured child)

A mother says she was forced to leave the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre (SLBMC) on Monday night with her injured son after being told no doctor would be seeing patients unless their condition was considered a “dire emergency.”

The woman explained that she had been waiting at the hospital for hours after her son suffered a head injury that caused blood to pool in his eye. But shortly before 11 p.m., she said, a nurse announced that the lone doctor coming on shift would not be attending to most cases.

“Everyone was told to come back at 11 a.m. the next day,” the mother recalled. “I asked if my son’s injury was an emergency and showed them his eye. The nurse just shrugged her shoulders and walked off.”

Feeling helpless and without answers, she decided to leave.

Her frustration reflects a broader concern among families who rely on the hospital during the night when private clinics are closed. “What exactly is considered ‘dire’?” she asked. “People come from all over the island in pain or with injuries. It’s not for AC or chit-chat. My child had blood in his eye from a head injury that should matter.”

The incident has sparked questions about patient care and emergency protocols at SLBMC, particularly for parents worried about children who may not show immediate life-threatening symptoms but still need urgent attention.

SLBMC has not yet responded publicly to the mother’s account.

This story was first published by Antigua News on September 2, 2025: antigua.news/2025/09/02/mother-leaves-slbmc-with-injured-son-after-being-told-doctor-wouldnt-see-patients. © 2025 Antigua News. Republication without permission is not allowed.

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Shermain Bique-Charles

About the author

Shermain Bique-Charles is an accomplished journalist with over 24 years of dynamic experience in the industry. Renowned for her exceptional storytelling and investigative skills, she has garnered numerous awards that highlight her commitment to journalistic integrity and excellence. Her work not only informs but also inspires, making her a respected voice in the field.

Read our editorial standards and corrections policy. Spotted an error? Contact the newsroom.

Comments (23)

  • Well September 2, 2025, 8:53 AM

    Hence why I refuse to take my children or even myself to that place, SLBMC feels like a death sentence waiting to be executed……
    Reply

    • Anonymous September 2, 2025, 9:07 AM

      Smh there is worst than halberton hospital
      Reply

    • La muerte September 2, 2025, 12:29 PM

      But how are you going to make sure that this is not an emergency or father we will all die here that is not medical ethics what is happening to these doctors on this island the government does not pay them is
      Reply

    • Name September 2, 2025, 12:30 PM

      There are Cuban doctors who are willing to work even at night. Providing our services. But bureaucracy and other permits do not allow this to be possible
      Reply

  • Cleopatra September 2, 2025, 8:54 AM

    Madness yes
    Reply

  • Wyonna September 2, 2025, 8:57 AM

    What did i just read ?
    Reply

  • NotNyce September 2, 2025, 9:02 AM

    If that were my child, heads would roll. SLBMC can’t keep treating people like they don’t matter
    Reply

  • Mindy September 2, 2025, 9:07 AM

    That poor child! A head injury with blood in the eye should never be brushed off.
    Reply

  • Rhea September 2, 2025, 9:08 AM

    Nothing new in the SLBMC history, they don’t care about anyone and that’s something Molwyn and Belle-Jarvis needs to look into
    Reply

  • CKH September 2, 2025, 9:09 AM

    I don’t care what emergency protocols they have, this is common sense. You don’t send a kid home bleeding and wait until morning
    Reply

  • Apex Jones September 2, 2025, 9:11 AM

    Whatttttt? Aren’t we the ones paying the hospital staff. What do you mean the Dr not seeing patients.
    Why are we begging for services we we are entitled to
    Reply

    • Anonymous September 2, 2025, 10:12 AM

      Nurses, doctors,teachers Soldiers and police all pay themselves they pay the same dues everyone else pay so stop saying you are paying them plz
      Reply

    • Ass September 2, 2025, 11:15 AM

      Hmmm and so what if they paying dem self urall need more f doctor in The place cause they could check the child
      Reply

  • [email protected] September 2, 2025, 9:27 AM

    We need our knighthood back .
    Sir
    Reply

  • Faithful national #1 September 2, 2025, 9:57 AM

    Another LOVE – ILL whopper following close on the heels of an alleged theft of a cell phone by hospital personnel while in the process of receiving medical treatment???? Hmmmm
    The matter, however, should be thoroughly investigated and the negligent, if any, soundly dealt with.
    Reply

    • Anonymous September 2, 2025, 11:03 AM

      Nurses / medical personnel are not the only ones who have access to patients’ room when there is a 4bedded room each patients have 2and in most cases 3 visitors by their bedside that is 8-12 persons at a time medical personnel are care givers not security or police that they should be standing in the rooms watching patients belongings?
      Reply

    • Anonymous September 2, 2025, 11:28 AM

      Why is it that you people don’t put the blame where it belongs? Everything nurses and doctors do right or wrong they are blamed. when you have one Doctor working 12 or 24 hours with no break, no time to go to pass waste from their body. What do you expect and when a Doctor overwork and give wrong diagnosis. There goes another story. Do you at all concerned for or about the staff or their wellbeing. YES YOU NEED CARE YES YOU NEED ATTENTION and that you should get with no problems BUT if the nurse/doctor don’t get their own care how can they care for you in the way you are expecting them to? Were you concerned to know the reason why no Doctor was there to see patient or the one Doctor where there was not available? A lot of times things are communicated in the right way for proper understanding but because we as a nation are so bitter against nurses and doctors we allowed ourselves to think and act in the wrong manner. They are look done on as they are nothing.
      But yet still when you need them, you are expecting them to take their heart from their body and put in yours. Just as the case with the baby mother claim a “NEEDLE” was left in her child when that wasn’t true it was an hemlock something that ALLLLLL patients that goes for treatment would receive but instead she go bk to the institution to seek information and clarification she’s prioritizing legal advice. Come on man we need to do better than what we are doing to our Frontline workers Who worked unde shortage and stressful situation and over time to keep the healthcare system together, especially during the time of COVID. Have we forgotten how they drain themselves to save us and our love ones? Give them their roses🌹 and not their headstones
      Reply

  • Concern Citizen September 2, 2025, 10:01 AM

    Health care is always a problem, it’s like we go hospital to get care and we the patients are left to dead!!!! Something needs to be done about up there!!!! Another thing, I don’t see the need for the long wait, most a patient should be sitting in the waiting area is 30- 45 mins, when your name gets call , they check your pressure, then send you back to the waiting area for hrs after,, when your name finally gets called and you go behind all you see is doctors sitting chic chatting amongst eachother! Why just why. Now in this instance a mother with her child with head injury was told to go home because no doctor wouldn’t even attempt to see him!!! Total madness. Where’s the care?
    Reply

  • Anonymous September 2, 2025, 10:06 AM

    Why is it we as a nation normally, listen to one side and not the two sides of story and then create a judgment? So you think is only you alone can role or cause head to roll? You think nurses and doctors are animals and they don’t have family or friends can do the things you would want to do to them? Nurses and doctors are human just like everyone else and there are protocol that everyone has to follow deny care to anyone should not happen but if there is no doctors there to see patients at that given time what did you expect the nurse to do?
    Reply

  • Ben Simmons September 2, 2025, 11:43 AM

    If the person child ended up worse what would the authorities say. That looks like a nasty eye infection to me. Molwyn Joseph say something.
    Reply

  • Move September 2, 2025, 4:13 PM

    Anonymous you must be a dutty stinking nurse who dont care about the job
    Reply

  • Jason September 2, 2025, 6:34 PM

    This is why people are losing trust in SLBMC. No doctors, no care, nothing. Our children are at risk
    Reply

  • Informed citizen September 2, 2025, 10:10 PM

    Yes, the mother’s frustration is valid, but we also have to admit our healthcare workers are under severe pressure.
    Reply

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