Antigua and Barbuda’s flagship public healthcare facility, Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, has announced the return of two locally experienced specialist physicians, who have completed rigorous advanced medical training overseas to expand their clinical expertise. The reintroduction of these doctors marks a significant upgrade to the hospital’s core Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine departments, two service lines critical to meeting the population’s ongoing healthcare needs.
Dr. Akweta Alexander, who previously held a clinical role at the medical centre, has come back as a consultant internist after earning her Doctor of Medicine (DM) degree specialized in Internal Medicine. For Dr. Alexander, the path to this advanced qualification began long before her formal postgraduate training. She developed a deep-seated passion for medical work from childhood, a commitment that grew stronger during her 2015 to 2016 internship at the facility. It was during this early clinical experience that she cultivated her focused interest in Internal Medicine, a specialty that addresses a wide range of chronic and acute adult health conditions.
Speaking about her return, Dr. Alexander shared her excitement to rejoin the hospital’s clinical team. Beyond delivering comprehensive, personalized care to her patients, she also highlighted her commitment to mentoring the next generation of medical professionals training at the facility.
The second returning specialist, Dr. Su-Jay Gore, has rejoined the institution as a consultant in Emergency Medicine, also following the successful completion of a DM degree in his specialty. Like Dr. Alexander, Dr. Gore previously practiced at Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, and he framed his return as a homecoming focused on continued service to the people of Antigua and Barbuda.
“I am delighted to return home and continue serving the people of Antigua and Barbuda,” Dr. Gore said. He added that he is eager to collaborate with his fellow clinical and administrative staff to strengthen the hospital’s emergency care infrastructure, with the goal of delivering timely, compassionate, and high-quality care to every patient and their family members during high-stress medical events.
Hospital leadership officially welcomed both physicians in separate public statements, expressing strong confidence that the advanced knowledge and new clinical skills the pair bring will directly drive measurable improvements in both patient outcomes and overall service delivery at the facility. As the country’s leading public hospital, the addition of these two specialized consultants fills key gaps in high-demand care areas, strengthening the national public health system’s capacity to serve local communities for years to come.