Basseterre, St. Kitts, August 10, 2026 (PMO): The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is working with the Republic of China (Taiwan) to establish new medical scholarship opportunities for nationals, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the Federation’s healthcare workforce and expand access to specialised medical training.
Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew disclosed the initiative while delivering remarks at the 2026 MOFA and ICDF Taiwanese Scholarships Awarding Ceremony, where he highlighted the continued expansion of educational cooperation between St. Kitts and Nevis and Taiwan.
The Prime Minister said the proposed pathway is intended to provide aspiring doctors with the opportunity to pursue medical studies in Taiwan and subsequently return to the Caribbean to complete the necessary internship and licensing requirements.
“We have asked Taiwan for medical scholarships for our students to go to Taiwan to study medicine. We have put a structure in place and perfecting it so that our students who aspire to be doctors-and we need more doctors in St. Kitts and Nevis-we need more specialists as well,” Prime Minister Drew said.
He continued, “together we are working for you to go to Taiwan, study, return to the Caribbean, do your internship, do the Caribbean licensing exam, and become full-fledged doctors-not just in Saint Kitts and Nevis, but across the Caribbean.”
Prime Minister Drew indicated that the initiative forms part of the Government’s wider efforts to strengthen human-resource capacity within the health sector, particularly in areas where there is a need for additional doctors and specialists. He said that expanding access to medical education through international partnerships can provide long-term benefits not only for St. Kitts and Nevis but also for the wider Caribbean.
“That again is a collaboration that will significantly benefit all of our people,” the Prime Minister stated.
Dr. Drew also used the occasion to underscore the broader contribution that Taiwan continues to make to the development of St. Kitts and Nevis. He pointed to cooperation in education, healthcare, water security, infrastructure and other areas as evidence of the depth and practical value of the longstanding bilateral relationship.
“Taiwan is a real partner. Taiwan has been with us since October 1983,” Prime Minister Drew said, noting that the relationship has supported critical areas of national development over the years.
Within health specifically, Prime Minister Drew highlighted Taiwan’s collaboration with the Government on mental health, stating that Taiwan has assisted St. Kitts and Nevis in the development of a mental health program.
The move towards medical scholarships represents a further expansion of educational cooperation between the two countries. Prime Minister Drew noted that discussions with President Lai Ching-te during his official visit to Taiwan in 2025, included ways of increasing educational opportunities available to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
The proposed medical scholarship pathway will further align international educational opportunities with the Federation’s national development priorities, while helping to build a stronger and more sustainable healthcare workforce for the future.
