Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the country’s long-closed Cancer Centre is now expected to reopen in June 2026, following delays linked to ownership changes and equipment issues.

Browne said the facility, shuttered since April 2023 due to financial challenges, has been fully refitted with new medical equipment under private ownership by a U.S.-based investment group.

He also signaled plans to position the centre as a regional medical hub, aimed at attracting patients from across the Caribbean.

The centre, which opened in June 2015 as the first oncology facility of its kind in the Eastern Caribbean, provides radiotherapy, chemotherapy and other cancer treatment services to patients from across the OECS.

Efforts to restore operations have faced prolonged setbacks. The government moved to compulsorily acquire the facility after negotiations with former majority shareholder Dr Conville Brown collapsed over pricing, with his US$30 million asking price far exceeding the government’s EC$6 million to EC$9 million valuation.

The property was later sold to U.S.-based investors for EC$13 million, with the building and equipment handled separately. Disputes surrounding the equipment purchase contributed to further delays.

Investors had initially targeted a first quarter 2026 reopening, a timeline that passed without operations resuming, making June at least the third projected reopening date.

Advocacy groups, including Breast Friends, have repeatedly raised concerns about the prolonged closure, saying patients have been forced to travel overseas for treatment, often for extended periods, placing strain on families despite support from the Medical Benefits Scheme.