By Tahna Weston
The Dialysis Unit at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre is being expanded and equipped to meet the needs of the many patients suffering from kidney disease.
Minister of Health Sir Molwyn Joseph said in addition to the machines which the department currently has, another 11 will be installed.
“And the technicians are here as I speak. They have come from overseas to install 11 additional units. The technician from overseas has arrived … and he’s busy preparing the station to install the machines. So we’ll have 11 additional stations at the hospital. This is a giant step. There are many people who cannot be fully dialysed. And also many people who are on waiting lists.
“And if you think that it’s a difficult situation in Antigua and Barbuda, you need to look to the wider Caribbean because there are some Caribbean islands where people cannot even get dialysis services,” Sir Molwyn said.
The health minister said some of the buildings on the compound of the old Holberton Hospital compound are being converted to expand dialysis services.
“In that facility, we are likely to have as many as 90 units … which will give us the kind of coverage we think is appropriate for Antigua and Barbuda. And in addition, it will give us the capacity to accommodate requests from overseas.
“There are many Antiguans and Barbudans and other people who would like to visit Antigua, but they don’t come if they cannot be dialysed because the services are not fully available. So that could very well be a boost for tourism as well.
If people know that they can come to a destination and have the dialysis service, they will come to Antigua and Barbuda,” Sir Molwyn added.
