PM Drew Outlines Plans to Expand Men’s Health Support and Prostate Care

Minister of Health, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, says his Labour Party-led government will continue to strengthen national attention on men’s health, including prostate cancer awareness, screening and support programmes, while encouraging the creation of safe spaces specifically designed for men.

Speaking during the second Roundtable press conference of 2026, Dr. Drew said the issue has become a priority after recognising that men are far less likely than women to access preventive healthcare, even when services are available.

“At each clinic in St. Kitts and Nevis we have a men’s clinic, and on that day you can go in and get your prostate test done — the prostate cancer screening blood test is free,” he said, noting that despite access to screening, participation remains low.

The Prime Minister expressed the opinion that the reluctance to get tested is not primarily due to the medical examination itself, but rather a lack of supportive environments where men feel comfortable seeking help.

“People think men don’t need support… but men need support too,” he said. “When men feel they are in a safe space and around other men, they are more willing to come forward and be examined.”

Dr. Drew pointed to prostate screening drives carried out  by private entities as evidence, noting that turnout dramatically increases when men are encouraged collectively.

“When the free prostate tests are held, the line is filled with men. It shows the issue is not the test – it is the support and the environment,” he explained.

He said the government now intends to initiate and encourage programmes that foster peer support and open conversation around men’s health issues, similar to networks already established for women’s health.

“Women have created those support spaces for themselves and it works. We need men to do the same — to talk to each other, encourage each other and seek care early,” he said.

The Prime Minister also announced plans to establish a prostate health foundation in St. Kitts and Nevis, aimed at providing assistance to men facing diagnosis and treatment.

“I have asked that a prostate health foundation be established, and I will be the first donor,” Dr. Drew stated, adding that financial assistance and guidance will be part of the support offered.

He recalled cases from his medical career where men delayed treatment because of financial or emotional barriers, sometimes with fatal consequences.

“I had a patient who told me he could not afford the treatment and did not want to leave his family in debt. He went home and died a month later,” he said.

Dr. Drew said experiences like these underline the need for structured programmes that combine screening, financial assistance and community support.

The initiative is expected to complement existing women’s health support efforts, including breast cancer assistance, and reflects what he described as a broader approach to family health.

“Families are made up of children, women, men and others. We cannot leave our men behind,” he said.

Dr. Drew urged men to take advantage of screening opportunities and to support each other in addressing health concerns early, stressing that early detection significantly improves outcomes.