Health Minister Michael Joseph says Antigua and Barbuda is facing mounting pressure from rising cases of kidney disease, cancer, cardiac illnesses and overcrowded emergency rooms, as the government moves aggressively to modernize the country’s healthcare system.

Speaking on Another Point of View on Sunday, Joseph revealed that the government spent approximately €80,000 within two weeks sending cardiac patients overseas for treatment, while another US$200,000 was approved for cancer care for patients receiving treatment in Colombia.

Joseph said those costs highlight the urgent need to operationalize Antigua and Barbuda’s planned cardiac unit and Cancer Care Centre.

“We’ll be able to do them right here,” the minister said while discussing the cardiac unit, explaining that once operational, the country would no longer need to fly patients overseas for several invasive procedures.

The Health Minister also disclosed that he has been pushing for the Cancer Care Centre to open by the end of June.

Joseph warned that the nation’s healthcare budget is becoming increasingly strained due to the growing number of chronic illnesses affecting the population.

“Our health budget is going to get to a point where it becomes unsustainable,” he cautioned.

A major concern raised during the interview was the alarming rise in kidney disease and dialysis patients across Antigua and Barbuda.

Joseph admitted the government is now trying to determine what is driving the increase in kidney-related illnesses, including whether hereditary factors, excessive salt intake, alcohol consumption, unhealthy eating habits, antibiotics or overuse of painkillers may be contributing to the problem.

The minister pointed specifically to international studies linking certain painkillers to increased risk of kidney damage, while stressing that Antigua and Barbuda still lacks the local data needed to establish direct correlations.

He also acknowledged that many patients are arriving at hospitals far too late.
“By the time you present to a doctor, we’re in end-stage renal failure, stage three and four cancer, high blood pressure that’s alarming,” Joseph stated.

Joseph said his ministry is now prioritizing research, data collection and disease tracking systems to better understand the health challenges facing the population and to create more targeted policies.

The minister further revealed plans to expand urgent care services, improve community clinics, decentralize operations at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, and roll out a digital medical records system to improve patient care across the country.