By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Prime Minister Philip Davis announced yesterday new healthcare facilities for New Providence and Grand Bahama.

While premiering the Davis administration’s 2023/2024 budget, the Prime Minister stated a new health facility will be constructed on Grand Bahama, a new hospital will be constructed on New Providence and that Family Island clinic infrastructure will be improved. Mr Davis also announced a new organ transplant programme which he maintains will become a ‘life-saving benefit’ for Bahamians.

He said: “Continuing our efforts from our last budget to promote better health and greater wellness among the Bahamian people, in this budget we are providing funding to continue the development of a new health facility in Grand Bahama, to build a new hospital in New Providence, as well as continuing to improve the infrastructure for Family Island Clinics.”

“In relation to healthcare, in a first for The Bahamas, we will be supporting the creation of the first ever ‘National Organs Transplant Programme’ in The Bahamas. I trust that this will become a life-saving benefit to many, who depend on such generous donations for their very survival.”

Mr Davis also announced that the National Health Insurance (NHI) will be consolidated with the Prescription Drug Plan in an attempt to make healthcare more affordable. He added that uniformed officers will maintain health insurance coverage and subsidized dependent coverage will be available for new recruits.

He said: “To make healthcare more affordable, we will consolidate National Health Insurance and the Prescription Drug Plan into an overall health policy. The provision of health insurance is costly, but the Government realises that this is a necessary benefit for many employees. And so the Government is aggressively taking steps to protect this benefit for as many employees as possible.”

“I wish to make clear that members of the uniformed branches of our services will continue to benefit from insurance coverage, and new members will still be eligible for subsidised dependent coverage.”

Dr Michael Darville, Health and Wellness Minister, stated he was content with the budget’s allocations for health and noted several new items such as the organ transplant program and a capital budget

He said: “With the budget, I'm satisfied with what's happening for health. We are so pleased that there's some new line items in here, one is transplant surgery, the other one you will see training, another line item that I also have is capital budget.”

Former Prime Minister, Dr Hubert Minnis questioned whether Grand Bahama was receiving a hospital, as previously promised, or a clinic.

He said “The Minister of Health said he was building a hospital in Grand Bahama, Brave Davis when he spoke said they were building a health facility in Grand Bahama and a hospital in New Providence, they conflicted, so they are building a clinic.. because he would’ve specifically said if it was a hospital.”