By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

CASH shortages in the public health sector have delayed the acquisition of six critically needed ventilator units at the Princess Margaret Hospital, according to Health Minister Dr Duane Sands.

In an interview with The Tribune over the weekend, the Elizabeth MP confirmed an internal decision to order the units on a two per quarter basis, but insisted final approval would have to come from finance officials at the hospital when the money becomes available.

The Tribune inquired about the status of ventilators being used at PMH after reports surfaced of patients being treated using hand pumps operated by nurses and other staff.

One source at the PMH said: "They are having to ventilate by hand not just for five minutes but for hours on end. Can you imagine that? You can't just put anyone on it to do this, they have to know what they are doing, how to regulate the rate so that the patient can breathe properly.

"The management appears to recognise the problem and it seems they are trying to do something about it but things need to happen quicker."

In response to inquiries from this newspaper, Dr Sands said the decision was made to purchase the six machines at a cost of $14,000 per unit, after the failure of two of PMH's seven units, leaving both the Intensive Care and Neonatal Intensive Care Units without ventilators.

"We made a decision to purchase two at a time in each quarter of the budget," he said.

"We have no capital budget allocation, therefore whenever finance can find the money via revenue then purchases will be made."

He said hospital management is still waiting for finance officials to approve the purchase order for the first two units.

Dr Sands said in the interim, officials have opted to repair the two failed ventilators out of the country.

The two units are expected back in the Bahamas in the coming weeks.

The public health sector has endured several major issues in recent months, namely the announcement and later delay of fee hikes at PMH's Morgue Department after intense public push back in December; the suspension of elective surgeries at PMH due to bed shortages in January and the ongoing nurse shortage which came to a head last month after the departure of 70 nurses to more lucrative posts in the American market.

Throughout the ordeals, Dr Sands has insisted that the public healthcare sector had to find ways to manage despite its limited resources.

Addressing the proposed fee hike in December, Dr Sands said there were 500 or more suggested changes in the fee structure of the hospital to generate more revenue.

He also noted at the time that in the first quarter of 2017, the PHA lost $9m and it is anticipated that for the fiscal year the authority's deficit will climb to about $50m.

Dr Sands said to get around the losses, there would need to be a reduction in some fees and an increase of other charges.

Those fee hikes were ultimately delayed for a 60-day period.

That timeframe ended in mid-February, but no new fee schedule was announced.

When asked about the fee changes over the weekend, Dr Sands said officials have been "thoroughly reviewing all the charges and are concluding that process".