Eastern Caribbean gets Cancer Centre

Politics

A piece of Caribbean medical history was made on Thursday 26th April this year with the groundbreaking of a new Eastern Caribbean Cancer Centre in St John’s, Antigua by Prime Minister, the Hon. Baldwin Spencer and dignitaries from across the Caribbean and USA. This is a significant event as the Centre has been endorsed by seven Countries in the Eastern Caribbean, and that the development was spear headed by Professor Arthur Porter and Dr Conville Brown on the Cancer Centre model developed in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The Centre has been endorsed by the leadership of St. Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, Anguilla, Montserrat, BVI inaddition to Antigua and Barbuda In 2005 The Cancer Centre Bahamas opened its doors for the treatment of Bahamians with Cancer, providing the only Radiotherapy Service in the Country. It was quickly recognised as a Quality centre and for the last six years has been accredited by the American College of Radiation Oncologythe only Centre outside Continental North America to hold this coveted designation. Earlier this year the Centre expanded its reach with the development of a monthly clinic in the Turks and Caicos Islands. In 2010 Drs Brown and Porter signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to begin the feasibility studies to determine the need for a Cancer Centre in the Eastern Caribbean region. The Cancer Centre Bahamas at the same time located an Oncologist to Antigua to begin treating patients with Chemotherapy on site, with patients needing Radiotherapy being transferred to either the Bahamas or the Trinidad. Discussions took place, in parallel with member nations of the Eastern Caribbean to garner their support and in January 2012 decisions on equipment and plant took place with the resulting recommendation to build and equip a US $6,500,000.00 new Centre with a state of the art linear accelerator and the capability to provide advanced treatment planning. The centre will be the hub of a network with consultation services being provided on a rotating basis in several OECS Countries. ‘This is a very significant development’ said Prof Porter, ‘we have been able to demonstrate that by leveraging skills, and medical technology across a network we can provide the same care as the US, UK, and Canada.’ Prime Minister, the Hon. Baldwin Spencer, commended Prof. Porter for all the efforts made in bringing this from a dream to reality. He said ‘this will be one of the most significant medical developments for our region. Our mortality from Cancer is much higher than it need be patients need to be treated abroad, which is often unavailable and can be very costly. This provides for a solution.’ Hon. Dr. Arthur Porter, a native of Sierra Leone has been credited with developing new Cancer Centres across the World. In addition to the Caribbean network, Prof Porter is also spearheading the development of Cancer centres in the UK, in his role as Chairman of Cancer Partners UK. Hon. Arthur Porter commented, ‘As a proud Sierra Leonean, it is a privilege to bring to fruition these international developments. At the eve of our Independence Day celebrations I hope that we can foster new relationships between the Caribbean and West African Nations.” The groundbreaking, planned for Thursday April 26th in St. Johns Antigua, will be attended by Heads of Government of several OECS Nations and members of the Medical Community

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