Minister of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs, Michael Joseph welcomed Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh on a tour of the newly softly opened Primary Eye Care Unit at the Gray’s Green Community Centre earlier today.
The visit provided an opportunity to showcase the Government’s efforts to strengthen eye care services and expand access to vision screening, early detection and treatment through community-based healthcare.
Her Royal Highness engaged with representatives of the organisations supporting the initiative, including Cure Blindness, VisionSpring, Trinidad Eye Hospital, Orbis International and RestoringVision. Also in attendance were Kathleen Sherwin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Orbis International; His Excellency Dr. Walton Aubrey Webson; and senior Ministry officials.
Four nurses from the Ministry of Health who recently completed specialised training in eye care in India were also present. During the visit, the nurses conducted vision screenings to demonstrate the unit’s capabilities and the range of primary eye care services it is expected to provide.
The establishment of the unit forms part of the Ministry’s broader strategy to bring essential eye care services closer to communities. While the facility has undergone its soft opening, it is not yet open to the general public, as additional equipment and operational arrangements are being finalised. The official opening and commencement of services to the public are expected in January 2027.
Minister Joseph also highlighted the Government’s longer-term vision of establishing a dedicated eye hospital within the next five years, further demonstrating its commitment to strengthening specialist eye care services in Antigua and Barbuda.
The Ministry acknowledges the continued collaboration of its international partners and healthcare professionals in advancing access to quality eye care and reducing preventable blindness.
Source: Antigua News Room Duchess of Edinburgh Visits Primary Eye Care Unit at Gray’s Green Community Centre.