Senator Says Cancer Center Reopening Will Spare Patients Overseas Treatment

‘A Matter of Dignity’: Senator Details Healthcare Concerns as Cancer Center Reopening Nears

Independent Senator Jamilla Kirwan on Wednesday used her contribution to the 2026 budget debate to deliver an extensive appeal for stronger healthcare systems, welcoming the planned reopening of the country’s cancer center while warning that long-term success depends on proper maintenance, oversight and patient-centred care.

Kirwan, speaking from personal experience as a cancer survivor and as a family member of a cancer patient, said the anticipated reopening of the cancer center in the first quarter of 2026 represents a major step forward for Antigua and Barbuda’s health services.

She told the Senate that once operational, the facility will allow patients to receive radiation treatment locally, sparing them the financial burden and emotional strain of travelling overseas, often to Colombia, for care.

“This reopening represents a significant development for healthcare in Antigua and Barbuda and the wider OECS region,” Kirwan said, noting that cancer treatment currently forces families to confront difficult choices at an already traumatic time.

She also welcomed the government’s stated intention to underwrite a portion of treatment costs for local patients, saying access to life-saving care should not be determined by a person’s financial circumstances.

Kirwan said her perspective on healthcare policy is shaped not only by professional experience but by deeply personal realities. She recounted her own cancer treatment and described the impact of her mother’s cancer diagnosis last year, which required surgery abroad while Kirwan herself was undergoing chemotherapy.

She told senators the experience underscored the emotional, physical and financial toll cancer places on families and reinforced the importance of accessible, reliable healthcare at home.

From that perspective, Kirwan stressed that reopening the cancer center must be accompanied by strict attention to facility upkeep and equipment maintenance, particularly given the cost and sensitivity of radiation technology.

“Maintenance is not an optional afterthought,” she said. “It is a form of prevention. It safeguards health, preserves dignity, and ensures that the systems we invest in truly serve the people they are intended to support.”

She warned that without preventative maintenance, clear responsibility frameworks and consistent oversight, expensive medical equipment and healthcare facilities risk deterioration, undermining patient safety and public confidence.

Kirwan said healthcare infrastructure must be supported by long-term planning rather than reactive repairs, arguing that neglect ultimately leads to higher costs and poorer outcomes for patients and staff.

She also pointed to the importance of strong public-private collaboration in healthcare delivery, noting that partnerships can be critical in emergency care and specialised treatment when time and access are decisive factors.

Linking healthcare to a broader theme of her budget presentation, Kirwan said governments must balance expansion with sustainability, ensuring that investments in new services are matched by the capacity to maintain them.

“When maintenance is treated as a strategic investment rather than a reactive expense, it strengthens public assets and supports those who work within them,” she told the Senate.

Kirwan said the reopening of the cancer center should be seen not only as an infrastructure milestone but as a test of the country’s commitment to equitable, people-centred healthcare.

The expected reopening in early 2026 was outlined during the Senate’s debate on the 2026 Appropriations Bill.

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]