Health Minister Michael Joseph is advancing plans to establish a dedicated Chest Pain Centre in Antigua and Barbuda, following a series of high-level meetings with cardiac specialists in the People's Republic of China.
Minister Joseph, accompanied by Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre Medical Director Dr. Shivon Belle-Jarvis and Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador to China Clement Antonio, met with Dr. Xingwei Zhang — Chief Physician and one of China's foremost cardiologists — and his team at The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University.
The visit forms part of the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between Antigua and Barbuda and the Hangzhou Normal University hospital to establish a Chest Pain Centre locally. During the visit, the delegation toured the hospital's existing Chest Pain Centre and observed the management of three patients presenting with acute chest pain, witnessing first-hand the centre's streamlined approach to emergency cardiac care — including rapid diagnosis, coordinated clinical decision-making, and timely intervention.
Discussions centred on the next phase of the agreement, covering the development of infrastructure and systems required to bring the Chest Pain Centre to Antigua and Barbuda. Under the partnership, Antiguan and Barbudan healthcare professionals will travel to China for specialised training in emergency cardiac care and interventional cardiology. In turn, specialists from the Hangzhou hospital will visit Antigua and Barbuda to provide technical support, mentorship, and hands-on training during the programme's rollout.
Once fully operational, the Chest Pain Centre will significantly expand the country's capacity to diagnose and treat cardiovascular emergencies. Patients requiring advanced interventions — including coronary angioplasty and coronary stent placement — will increasingly be able to receive these life-saving procedures at home, reducing the need for costly overseas referrals.
Minister Joseph described the visit as an important milestone. "The establishment of a Chest Pain Centre is a major step forward in our commitment to improving cardiac care for the people of Antigua and Barbuda," he said. "Through this partnership, we are building the expertise, infrastructure, and clinical capacity needed to deliver advanced cardiac services closer to home."
The Ministry of Health says it will continue working closely with its Chinese partners as preparations progress toward the centre's establishment.
