The Ministry of Health will soon be holding consultations with the leaders of a pharmaceutical company interested in setting up a factory in Antigua.

The company aims to produce drugs that are in high demand within the OECS, to reduce the cost of heavily consumed medicines.

Although details about the company, factory location, and drug types are currently unclear, Lionel Hurst, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister told reporters that the local pharmaceutical company will be an integral part of the process

“Before they could manufacture in Antigua, unacceptable medicines, the local pharmaceutical authority would have a great deal to say. They must produce samples and the samples must be tested over time before they could possibly sell medicine not only to the population but the others in the OECS,” Hurst said

Recently, Prime Minister Gaston Browne disclosed that discussions between the government and Air Peace’s CEO, a Nigerian airline, were focused on forming a partnership within the pharmaceutical industry.