Jonathan Joseph, the United Progressive Party candidate for St. Mary’s North, delivered a stark account of cancer suffering in Antigua and Barbuda, saying patients are enduring “hell” to access care and vowing that a UPP government would urgently reopen the country’s cancer centre.
“It pains my heart… to see the number of persons who are suffering from cancer,” Joseph told supporters at a rally, pointing to what he described as a growing crisis affecting women and even teenagers.
He described the struggles patients face in accessing treatment, saying, “the hell that they’re going through to get the kind of assistance that they need” is being overlooked by those in authority.
Joseph anchored his remarks in personal experience within his constituency, recounting the case of a mother who, he said, “neglect her own care… suffering from cancer to ensure that her young daughter… gets the attention,” only to die before her child.
“That’s sick people must get well,” he said, arguing that healthcare should be centered on compassion and access rather than politics.
The St. Mary’s North candidate sharply criticized the current administration, saying, “this current administration has made a mockery of healthcare in this country. They mash up everything.”
He framed cancer care as a central failure, telling the crowd, “this issue of cancer and treatment… I am making a commitment to you that the United Progressive Party will ensure that the cancer center is reopened in the shortest period of time.”
“Because people matter,” he added.
Joseph also pointed to broader reforms, promising extended hours at community clinics and an overall upgrade of the healthcare system. “We will ensure that extended hours is done in the community clinics,” he said, adding that the UPP has “the skills… the talents… and the drive” to build a system “that is envied in this hemisphere.”
Describing the sector as being in crisis, he said, “the healthcare is in a crisis in this country… and only the United Progressive Party can fix it.”
Joseph also tied his personal credibility to the issue, saying, “it would be an indictment upon me… to have healthcare stay in this country the way it is,” pledging that significant improvements would follow if he serves in government.
His speech blended emotional testimony with political messaging, urging voters to act not just for themselves but for vulnerable relatives. “This is not a movie. It is real life… real people’s lives that are being affected,” he said.
Joseph called on voters to support the UPP in the April 30 general election, arguing that meaningful change in healthcare — particularly for cancer patients — depends on a change in government.