Why Is Canada Warning Its Nationals To Exercise A High Degree Of Caution When Traveling To This Caribbean Island?

Victoria Hospital in Saint Lucia is one of two public hospitals on the island.

By NAN Contributor

News Americas, TORONTO, Canada, Thurs. April 6, 2017: An Eastern Caribbean nation that has only moderate crime and no recent protests or natural disasters has found itself on the Canadian government travel warning list.

The Canadian government updated its travel advisory on March 31st on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, warning its citizens traveling there to “exercise a high degree of caution.”

The reason?

The country’s “limited medical resources.”

The Canadian government travel notice says “medical care is limited” in St. Lucia since there are only two public hospitals and one private hospital and serious cases may have to be referred to Miami, Florida, or Martinique.

“Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a travel health kit, especially if you will be traveling away from major city centers,” the statement also warns.

The UK government for its part warns nationals that medical care in St. Lucia can be very expensive and to “take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel.”

The US government for its part states that “medical facilities in Saint Lucia do not meet U.S. standards” and recommends US nationals take out supplemental insurance to cover possible medical evacuation before traveling there.

St. Lucia is home to over 182 thousand people and saw over 187,000 stay-over visitors in 2016, a drop-off from the previous year. The private hospital in St. Lucia is Tapion in Castries. The two public hospitals are Victoria and Dennery.