By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

LEADING surgeon and Free National Movement (FNM) Senator Dr Duane Sands said yesterday that “thousands of Bahamians will continue to die” under the government’s primary care phase of National Health Insurance.

In an interview with The Tribune, Dr Sands said the $24m the government plans to set aside to create a special fund for patients with catastrophic medical problems during the first phase of NHI is “not nearly enough” and will only help about “25 to 30” people.

He said while he fully supports the idea of NHI, it will be a “generation” before the country will begin to see the benefits of this initial phase.

Dr Sands said it is “disappointing” that 30 years after the discussion on universal healthcare began that “this is as far as we have come.”

He also urged the government to be “completely honest” with the public and let Bahamians know what will be covered and what will not be under NHI’s primary care phase.

“Bahamians are being asked to sign a blank cheque,” Dr Sands said. “They are being told, no more cookouts, no more handouts, so people are assuming that if they have cancer it will be covered or if they have heart disease the government will cover the cost and that is not so.

“The government has not even defined how much money Duane Sands will get if I need surgery or how much Sancheska Brown will get if she needs surgery. Is there a limit? Does everyone get 10, 15, 50, 100 thousand?”

“And when you do it like that, it opens up a huge opportunity for allegations of abuse. Who decides who gets help and how much money the person will get? What is the difficulty of defining this before the legislation is passed? So when Susie Smith needs heart surgery or expensive chemotherapy she is expecting NHI will help her. Let’s be honest and say ‘No, ma’am, not for another 10 or 20 years.’ So a number of Bahamians who believed NHI would have saved them or their loved ones will find out otherwise. While this plan will put us on the road to improved patient care, it will be a generation before we see the real benefit and thousands of Bahamians will continue to die.”

Dr Sands said the government currently spends $800 million on healthcare so $24 million is “nowhere near” what is needed to help those with catastrophic illnesses.

“We need to ask ourselves if we are willing to go further in debt for a plan we know nothing about at this time,” Dr Sands said.

“In 30 years, this is as far as we have come? If we speak to insurance companies they will tell you $24m will take care of about 25 people and then what? Is it first come first served until the money runs out? This is not a plan, this needs to be explained.”

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Perry Christie said “a group of doctors,” not the government, will determine who receives access to the catastrophic fund based on “objective criteria.”

The primary healthcare coverage phase includes visits to your doctor, prevention services, diagnostics and medication through a primary care provider.

Primary care services will be provided to all persons registered at no cost at point of service and with no tax imposed, the government has said.

Primary care was supposed to be launched in April, however, it has been delayed with no new implementation date having been set.