Year Dream – By Deslyn A Joseph
Year Dream May Soon
A 15-year-old vision for specialized medical care in Antigua and Barbuda is on the verge of becoming a reality after officials at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre (SLBMC) confirmed a major leap forward in the establishment of the nation’s first dedicated Sickle Cell Unit.
In preparation for the unit’s official opening, two local physicians, Dr. Phillescia Jean and Dr. Grace Edwards, have completed an intensive month-long regional training program. Their mission was to optimize the specialized skill sets required to manage and treat Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) at a world-class level.
The physicians’ clinical training was divided between two weeks at the renowned Sickle Cell Unit in Jamaica and two weeks at three Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de la Guadeloupe hospitals in Guadeloupe.
This critical training was a collaborative effort, with the Sickle Cell Association of Antigua and Barbuda (SCAAB) and CAREST arranging and funding all travel, insurance, and accommodations for the doctors.
For Dr. Edda Hadeed, President of the SCAAB, this progress represents the end of a long, uphill battle. Dr. Hadeed shared that she has been trying to get this done for the last 15 years and expressed how much it means to the association to see it finally coming to fruition. She believes that once the unit opens, it will be absolutely wonderful and will change for the better how sickle cell patients access care across the nation.
She envisions the facility becoming a regional “gem” by providing holistic care that goes beyond just emergency visits. While the unit will be equipped for acute pain management, the focus will be on maintenance management, which includes proactive care such as eye check-up referrals and consistent access to vital medications like Hydroxyurea.
The development of the unit also serves as a direct response to years of public advocacy and protests by the local sickle cell community. Patients have long called for a dedicated space where they can receive treatment characterized by respect and compassion. Dr. Hadeed clarified that while the facility will initially operate as a day clinic, a full 24-hour admission system would require a much larger rotation of at least six physicians.
Dr. Hadeed noted that while larger neighbors like Jamaica and Guadeloupe have established units, no country close to the size of Antigua has such a facility. She emphasized that this is exactly what needs to change to improve regional healthcare.
Meanwhile, as the twin island nation awaits the official opening date for the proposed Sickle Cell Unit at the former Holberton Hospital compound, the return of specialized staff from their stints abroad signals that the 15-year wait for local sickle cell patients is nearing its end.
