‘Do whatever it takes to fix confidence in country’s health institutions’, says Minnis

Thursday, February 15, 2024

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A TILE fell on the head of a nurse in the paediatric ward of Princess Margaret Hospital, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday as he urged the government to do whatever it takes to prevent declining confidence in health institutions.

“Minister, the most important thing is we must not allow the confidence level in the institution to fall,” he said in the House of Assembly. “Because once that occurs, individuals will not go to the hospital; they will stay home, their disease prognosis will further deteriorate, and when they arrive at the hospital, they will arrive at a stage just before death. So, I ask you to kindly reverse that as much as possible.”

Dr Minnis expressed confidence in the staff of Princess Margaret Hospital, saying their care is on par with international institutions.

Princess Margaret Hospital’s conditions have drawn public ire for decades.

The facility is in the second phase of renovations.

Health Minister Dr Michael Darville called issues at PMH “age-old problems”. He insisted that his ministry is committed to improving the infrastructure, adding that 70 per cent of the accident and emergency section is under renovation.

“The residents of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas must understand that the Princess Margaret Hospital is an institution that is more than 70 years old, and much of the infrastructure is crumbling, and we are doing all in our power to ensure that we keep the institution functioning,” he said.

“We commit to the Bahamian people to construct a new state-of-the-art facility in New Providence, and that is the way forward. But while we are in the process of structuring a new facility, we must keep the Princess Margaret Hospital functioning to make sure that the infrastructural challenges that we are currently facing with an ageing institution are maintained.

“I am convinced that even though we have severe challenges, the Bahamian people can rest assured that we have very qualified individuals at our institutions, and these individuals are doing the best that we possibly can in these circumstances.

“What we do not want to do is to allow negativity to creep in, that shadow or foreshadow incompetence as it relates to our health care professionals. I stand on their shoulders to say, healthcare professionals who work in our public care institutions, both tertiary and primary healthcare, are doing the best that they can with the challenges that we currently face.”

Comments

trueBahamian says...

Ummm...he didn't know this was an issue while he was PM aye? A state of the art hospital. Yes Sir, coming right up! We'll use the imaginary money given to us by the leprechauns to pay for it.

Posted 15 February 2024, 7:08 p.m. Suggest removal

ohdrap4 says...

Not only while he was PM, wasn't he minster of health at one point,?

Posted 15 February 2024, 7:14 p.m. Suggest removal

Teo shots to get it right, aye? Someone should have whispered while he was speaking, "Psst! Psst! Mr. Minnis, weren't you Minister of Health and PM before? PMH was ok then?". Lol. These guys!

Posted 15 February 2024, 7:31 p.m. Suggest removal

PMH has always been this way.
But since 2019 people lost much confidence in health institutions and doctors because they saw with their very eyes that they does lie.

Posted 15 February 2024, 7:28 p.m. Suggest removal

If you are going to a doctor and you are blindly expecting them to do the right thing, you will get screwed over. Most of them are there to make money. It doesn't matter where in the world you are. You don't have a nice house, drive a nice car and live the good life without money. A lot of them will put their lifestyles ahead of you. I'm not saying all. There are some good ones still there but most of them will kick the Hippocratic Oath out the window for a buck.

Posted 15 February 2024, 7:36 p.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

The Bahamas' problem is corruption.

There are people who could fund 10 *1000 times better than PMH* hospitals but will not do it because they have no idea what will happen to 2/3 of the money once it passes through parliament, no idea what shady contractors will be handed overpriced contracts and no idea of when the project would actually be finished

Corruption is stifling our country in every way. Has North Andros gotten 10 ATM machines as yet? How much money has been funneled to Cat Island and Exuma in contracts?

Posted 16 February 2024, 2:02 a.m. Suggest removal

"*saying their care is on par with international institutions.*"

I'm not certain this is true. The other day the GG commented on how clean the nurses uniforms were and you dont see that when you go outside the country. It was such a profound statement, because nursing is a *dirty* job. Reflects the ill placed focus Bahamians give to presentation over substance. I recall someone saying, "*all I need to be an MP is a good suit*", and they were quite serious. And clearly correct.

Posted 16 February 2024, 2:09 a.m. Suggest removal

ExposedU2C says...

This coming from a fella who has more blood on his hands than any other single Bahamian in the entire history of the Bahamas. His tyrannical conduct and irrational decision making in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian and during the COVID pandemic caused many people to lose their lives. No one should ever forget this simple fact.

Posted 16 February 2024, 4:09 p.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

Exposed2c, for your sake, I wish that the New Day govt was in power during Covid.

Just look at the mayhem & disorder that Davis dem are visiting upon us in an era with no Covid or Cat5 hurricanes.

Posted 18 February 2024, 11:02 a.m. Suggest removal