Antigua and Barbuda's long-awaited cancer treatment centre is expected to begin offering services later this year, with specialist medical staff already being recruited and integrated into the programme. According to Antigua News Room, government officials provided the update during Thursday's weekly post-Cabinet briefing.
Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said work on the facility is advancing and preparations are underway to ensure it is fully operational once construction and equipment installation are completed.
Merchant confirmed that several key medical professionals have already been identified for the centre. "A radiation oncologist, a radiation physicist, a radiation therapist — they have all been identified and are currently being integrated into the programme to ensure that the centre is fully staffed and operational," he said.
Officials anticipate that treatment services could begin during the fall period, though no firm opening date has been announced. "With all the work that is taking place there, it is anticipated that the centre will commence providing treatment services in early fall," Merchant said.
When pressed for a more specific timeline, Merchant pointed to the installation of specialised medical equipment as a critical remaining component. "Some of the equipment are specialized equipment and there has to be bunkering facility there for some of the equipment due to the radiation that is utilized in the treatment of cancer," he said.
The centre is expected to significantly reduce the need for cancer patients to travel overseas for treatment — a process that has placed a substantial financial burden on both families and the Medical Benefits Scheme. Merchant noted that the Scheme currently spends millions of dollars each month assisting patients who must travel abroad, particularly to Colombia, for cancer treatment.
"It is believed that with the coming on of the cancer centre here in Antigua and Barbuda, the bill for cancer treatment assumed at this time by Medical Benefits will be significantly reduced," he said.
The government has not yet announced how treatment costs at the facility will be structured or the extent to which services will be covered by the Medical Benefits Scheme, with officials indicating those discussions remain ongoing.
Once operational, the facility is expected to provide radiation treatment and other cancer-related services locally, marking a significant expansion of Antigua and Barbuda's healthcare infrastructure.
