The Ministry of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs has announced a revised start date for the extension of operating hours at selected community health centres.
The initiative, originally scheduled to begin April 1, 2026, will now take effect on April 13, 2026, to allow for the completion of final logistical and operational arrangements.
Beginning April 13, the Gray's Farm Health Centre and the Clare Hall Health Centre will operate from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The extended hours are designed to broaden access to essential primary healthcare services for residents, particularly during evening hours.
The initiative is part of the Ministry's broader strategy to strengthen primary healthcare delivery and ease pressure on the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre. Patients requiring more advanced care will be referred appropriately, with ambulance support available where necessary to ensure continuity of care.
During the extended hours, both facilities will offer general medical consultations, acute wound care, and minor emergency services. Clinicians will also manage urgent conditions including lacerations, acute asthma exacerbations, dehydration, gastroenteritis, and uncontrolled chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes.
The planned extension of hours for the Brownes Avenue Health Centre and the Villa Polyclinic — both previously announced as part of the initiative — has been deferred. The Ministry said it will provide a revised timeline once operational arrangements for those facilities have been finalised.
The Ministry described the phased approach as necessary to ensure all staffing, logistical, and operational systems are fully in place before extended services are rolled out. It thanked the public for its understanding and reaffirmed its commitment to improving access to quality healthcare services across Antigua and Barbuda.
