Antigua and Barbuda has significantly expanded its dialysis capacity with the opening of a new purpose-built facility at the old Holberton Hospital site, Governor General Sir Rodney Williams announced Thursday during the Throne Speech.

Sir Rodney said the centre was constructed to meet rising demand from patients suffering from kidney failure, much of it linked to chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes. The facility will accommodate “more than 100 patients daily, each at least twice per week, where their blood will be transfused and cleaned of all impurities,” he said.

The Governor General also revealed that the government intends to take a major step toward offering full transplant services locally. “It is my Government’s intention to build an operating room in that facility where kidney transplants can also be undertaken,” he said.

According to the speech, Antigua and Barbuda is already building experience in this area. Sir Rodney noted that “the team from the SLBMC has undertaken 11 kidney transplants successfully,” marking the first time the country has delivered such procedures at scale.

The new Holberton dialysis centre forms part of a broader health-sector push outlined in the Throne Speech, which also includes mental-health upgrades, expanded disease coverage under next year’s planned National Health Insurance rollout, and a continued focus on wellness to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases.

Sir Rodney said the government views the dialysis expansion and future transplant capability as essential investments to ensure access to life-preserving treatment for residents facing chronic kidney disease.