NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Free National Movement Chairman Dr. Duane Sands has criticized the PLP’s promise to expand the Prescription Drug Benefit, calling it just another pre-election “public relations gimmick” aimed at hiding their repeated failures in healthcare.
In a statement, Sands accused Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Michael Darville of misleading the Bahamian people and the House of Assembly about the ongoing crisis at Rand Memorial Hospital. As of Thursday, March 7th, human medical waste continued to overflow, creating a dangerous and unsanitary environment.
“Once again, the PLP is attempting to deceive the Bahamian people on healthcare. Having failed to fulfill one of its biggest healthcare promises—the construction of a new hospital for New Providence—the PLP is now making another large promise they are unlikely to keep. The Prescription Drug Benefit was initially launched by the Free National Movement. Now, the PLP is promising to significantly expand the number of people eligible for the benefit, but they have failed to provide details on how much this will cost or how they plan to finance this initiative on a yearly basis,” said Sands.
Last week, during his mid-year budget debate contribution, Dr. Darville announced that the Davis administration plans to expand healthcare access by providing free prescription medication to more than 160,000 Bahamians with chronic non-communicable diseases through the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). These conditions include hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, renal insufficiency, and mental illness. However, Dr. Darville did not disclose the budget or timeline for the program, stating that details would be provided later.
He also noted that the NIB Chronic Drug Prescription Plan currently provides free medication to just over 44,000 Bahamians, primarily government workers and their families. The government now plans to transfer this initiative—currently managed by the Ministry of Health—to the NHIA. To facilitate the transition, a compendium of bills will be introduced in the coming months to repeal and replace the NHI Act, and amend the Pharmacy Act and other related legislation.
Sands responded, stating: “Medication is in short supply across the health system, with at least two of the largest pharmaceutical vendors not being paid and cutting off supplies to the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA). Given this stark reality, the PLP’s prescription drug promise is clearly another public relations stunt ahead of the next election. With the PLP’s history of misleading the country on healthcare and their abysmal track record, it’s hard to believe the promises they’re making now. How will the Ministry of Health and Wellness fund medication for more Bahamians in the future when it cannot even meet its current, longstanding bills?”
He continued: “Even worse, Dr. Darville and the PLP have shown spectacular incompetence. The promised completion of the Accident and Emergency unit has been repeatedly delayed. When will it be finished? Has the contractor been paid in a timely manner? When can the public expect relief from the worsening overcrowding in A&E?”
Sands added, “I’ve been advised that the Ministry of Health and Wellness/ PHA purchased freezers instead of coolers for the morgue in Grand Bahama. How did this happen? How could such a major investment be botched? Like the medical waste at the Rand, the questions continue to pile up on the PLP’s healthcare failures. The modular units next to Rand’s Emergency Room have not been occupied and seem to have persistent issues with mold. What was the quality of these units? Were limited public funds wasted? Why is the PHA so deeply in arrears to so many vendors, including dialysis providers? Why are some of the new stick-shift ambulances—never suitable for The Bahamas—still parked near CDU? We’re also receiving reports that many emergency medical technicians in New Providence are off-duty, limiting emergency medical services and slowing response times. What is the plan to address this emergency?”
Sands concluded by stressing that, rather than empty promises and public relations stunts, the Bahamian people deserve real, effective leadership and solutions to the healthcare crisis.
