Antigua and Barbuda’s Cancer Centre is now expected to reopen in November following delays in completing repairs and installing new medical equipment, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced.

Browne said the facility’s owners initially indicated that it would resume operations in June, but the reopening timeline has since been revised.

“They have completed the repairs,” Browne said during the Browne and Browne Show. “My understanding is that all of the modern medical equipment should be flown into the country shortly.”

He added: “They had initially said June. My understanding now, we’re looking at November.”

The Cancer Centre is privately owned, but Browne said the government has continued working with its operators to facilitate its return to service.

The centre’s prolonged closure has forced some patients to travel overseas, particularly to Colombia, for specialised cancer treatment.

Browne said reopening the facility should reduce the number of people who must leave Antigua and Barbuda to access care.

The prime minister also pointed to broader improvements in the country’s medical infrastructure, including a new privately developed hospital that is expected to offer several specialised services.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Cancer Centre Now Expected to Reopen in November.