By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas is set to launch its first-ever kidney transplant programme this week, while simultaneously advancing two hospital projects and finalising the acquisition of a fully equipped private hospital on East Bay Street.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville confirmed Monday during his budget debate contribution yesterday that Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) will conduct the country’s first living donor kidney transplant on June 18, supported by specialist surgeons from Trinidad and Barbados.

The announcement follows two years of preparatory work and marks the official rollout of a long-anticipated national renal transplant programme.

“This is exciting news for The Bahamas and patients suffering from kidney disease across the country,” Dr Darville said. “It has been a long journey to get to this point, but thanks to our collective efforts and final preparations, the program will be launched this week.”

The transplant programme aims to reduce the country’s growing dependency on dialysis, which Dr Darville noted consumes a significant portion of the health budget. End-stage renal disease, primarily driven by the country’s high rates of diabetes and hypertension, has seen a troubling rise in recent years.

The transplant initiative coincides with two infrastructure projects. The government is in final negotiations with the Chinese EXIM Bank to fund a new state-of-the-art hospital in New Providence with a 20-year concessional loan of $268m at 2% interest. Construction is expected to break ground by late July. Dr Darville said the financing structure calls for the Chinese EXIM Bank to cover 70 percent of the project cost, while the remaining 30 percent will be raised by the Bahamian government, either through the local financial market or international partners.

“The new facility will be EDGE-certified, climate-resilient, and built with pandemic preparedness protocols,” Dr Darville said, emphasising lessons learned during the COVID-19 crisis. The design replaces previously proposed steel frameworks with reinforced concrete, a change that reportedly saved the project $22 million.

Meanwhile, he said Cabinet has approved the lease-purchase of Doctors Hospital Harborside, a 38-bed facility on East Bay Street. Valued at over $38m, the deal will be paid over ten years and is expected to alleviate bed shortages at PMH and support upcoming renovations to the hospital’s dialysis unit, Dr Darville said.

“The Harborside facility is ready to go — it includes a dialysis unit, kitchen, oxygen generation plant, and other critical amenities,” Dr Darville said. “This asset will enhance our public healthcare system significantly and help bridge the gap while we build.”

The facility will be operated by the Public Hospitals Authority once the agreement is finalised, which Dr Darville said should occur within the next two weeks.