The Island Government has taken a decision to integrate the Baby Clinic services provided by the White & Yellow Cross Foundation (WYCF) as of September 1, 2010 under the management of Department of Public Health, Social Development & Labour (VSA)-Collective Preventive Services (CPS), namely Youth Health Care.
The WYCF has been providing quality baby clinic services for over 41-years.
Parents of new born babies don’t have to worry about any changes to the services being rendered. The same nurses who have been involved over the years will continue to administer the medical care services to babies and toddlers.
However this service will no longer be available at St. John’s Ranch.
Services were first rendered back on March 19, 1969 when the first Baby Clinic was opened in the Back Street Clinic. A room was made available with a refrigerator for vaccines, and a desk. On the first day only a few mothers came but after a few weeks, the Clinic was so busy that a second afternoon had to be added.
Until 2001, the nurses worked in the District Nursing as well as in the Baby Clinics, but the latter were becoming so busy that two nurses were permanently allocated to the Baby Clinics and they started all day services instead of only in the mornings or afternoons.
In 2007, then Sector Health Care Affairs and the WYCF embarked on a joined mission to improve the quality of the Baby Clinic services on the South side of the island.
The Island Government financially subsidized the foundation to execute the services on their behalf.
Protocols were developed and implemented to standardize the care that each baby and toddler was to receive. The WYCF employed its first full-time Baby Clinic Physician in August of 2009 and this completed the first two-years of intense reorganization.
The Department of Public Health, Social Development & Labour informed and discussed with WYCF of its plans to integrate the Baby Clinic Services on the South side of the island within their department. The WYCF assisted in making the transfer a reality.
The WYCF is proud to have served the babies, toddlers, parents and guardians of Sint Maarten for over 41 years and looks forward to see a continued positive development of this very important care product.
The Collective Preventive Services would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank WYCF for their dedication during the past 41 years in providing baby wellness services to the Sint Maarten community.
The Madame Estate Clinic is open on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as of 8.00am and is closed for lunch from 12.30pm to 1.30pm.
The Cole Bay Clinic is open on Tuesdays from 8.00am and is closed during the lunch hour.
As of September 21, children born in the years 2006, 2007 and 2008, are requested to call Youth Health Care for an appointment at 542-3003, 542-2078, or 542-3553 from 2.00pm to 4.00pm.