Thursday, May 7, 2020 — In the face of border closures and other challenges related to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the Cancer Centre Eastern Caribbean (TCCEC) is pleased to announce ongoing access to its state-of-the-art cancer treatment facility by OECS residents.

Intra-regional collaboration in the health sector is indispensable and this is particularly significant in light of the COVID-19 constraints. At a time when sovereign borders are closed indefinitely and extremely stringent lockdown measures are enforced, OECS Member States are demonstrating commitment to providing access to critical care even in shared-service arrangements.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Cancer Centre Eastern Caribbean, Dr. Conville S. Brown, stated:

“Like the rest of the world, the Small Island Developing States of the OECS have to deal with issues of disparities in access to care for life-threatening diseases such as heart disease and cancer, our two leading killers. 

Challenges in providing access to such healthcare in general are exacerbated by the lack of critical mass required to make such expensive services economically feasible, especially with non-existent fiscal space in national budgets. 

Fortunately, the leaders of the OECS sub-region were visionary in inviting the establishment of a shared-service arrangement for cancer and heart disease, back in November 2009.  This was accomplished via our Signature Partnered Care Model, a Public Private Partnership Model, which saw to the development of The Cancer Centre Eastern Caribbean to provide affordable State-Of-The-Art Cancer Care to OECS citizenry, be it via the Government or Private Sectors, and supported by all OECS Member States. A similar State-Of-The-Art solution is imminent for the management of heart disease.

It is very significant that despite this disabling COVID-19 Pandemic, The Cancer Centre Eastern Caribbean has continued to serve the OECS Cancer patients, particularly made possible by inter-country cooperation at innumerable levels of government and private sectors.”

Director General of the OECS, Dr. Didacus Jules, welcomed the announcement of continued services stating:

“This pandemic has further consolidated our appreciation for community and being our brother’s keeper in times of extreme need. Cooperation in health care continues to be the driving force of the OECS health sector and, given the unique circumstances of the current health crisis, it is inspiriting to see our Member States working together and developing strategic compromises in favour of the health and well being of all citizens.

I applaud The Cancer Centre Eastern Caribbean for continuing to offer these critical services in spite of the challenges.”

TCCEC has been in operation for five years and is easily regarded as an OECS pillar institution. Created through an OECS mandate to provide access to high quality and affordable cancer care for residents of the sub-region, the Centre has already seen over 500 patients – of which 400 have received radiation therapy.  

The Centre is fully equipped with the latest technologies in cancer treatment and personnel of the highest global standard. Treatments include chemotherapy, and radiotherapy using a range of cutting-edge techniques such as 3-D Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D CRT), Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT).  These imaging tools, available with The Centre’s state-of-the-art Linear Accelerator with Synergy, allow precise targeting and treatment of malignant tumors with no harm to surrounding normal tissues.

TCCEC’s Management and Staff are pleased to be the OECS Cancer Care Provider of Choice.

The Team can be easily reached via: