Harold Lovell, the United Progressive Party’s (UPP) candidate for All Saints West, has criticised the government over the closure of key health facilities and the underuse of Antigua and Barbuda’s cancer treatment centre, calling for urgent action to improve access to care.
Speaking on Observer Radio’s Connecting with Dave Lester Payne, Lovell highlighted that the All Saints Clinic — the only public health facility serving the constituency — has been closed for more than two years. He said the shutdown has left thousands of residents without essential services such as prenatal care, treatment for the elderly, and access for young children.
“It’s astonishing that for almost two and a half years, the All Saints Clinic has been closed,” Lovell said, adding that the Browns Avenue Clinic has also been shuttered. “The approach has been very lackadaisical, very casual, as though it doesn’t matter. But it matters greatly to the people in these communities.”
Turning to cancer treatment, Lovell argued that Antigua has squandered a regional opportunity. He recalled that the OECS Cancer Centre was originally established under a UPP administration in partnership with a Bahamian company, with support from Caribbean leaders including then-prime ministers Kenny Anthony of St Lucia and Denzil Douglas of St Kitts and Nevis.
The aim, Lovell said, was for Antigua to become the hub for oncology care in the Eastern Caribbean. But he accused the current government of failing to promote the centre, resulting in patients being sent to Colombia for treatment.
“What we are now doing is spending millions of dollars in the economy of Colombia,” he said. “That money could have been right here staying in Antigua — from the airfare, to hotel stays, to the medical services themselves.”
Lovell also pointed out the social impact of overseas treatment, noting that patients lose the support of family, friends, and community networks when they are forced to travel abroad.
Although the cancer centre was reportedly sold and placed under new management, Lovell said no updates have been provided. He urged the government to take responsibility for reviving the facility, stressing that without its active involvement, such a centre cannot function.
Lovell’s comments came ahead of a community health fair scheduled for 24 August at Buckley’s Primary School, organised with former UPP caretaker Barbara Coates. The event will provide free screenings, including for prostate cancer and children returning to school, as well as sessions on financial wellness and preventative care.