BY ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

The Ministry of Health is in negotiations to address the potential dangers caused by the transport of hazardous medical waste through the purchase of an incinerator.

Dr Michael Darville, minister of health and wellness, defended the decrease in his ministry's risk and hazard allowance as the Budget debate came to a close after Adrian White, the St Anne's MP, said the Opposition "continue to see waste uncollected at the facilities in Grand Bahama".

“It's being decreased by $76,400 give or take,” Mr White said. “Why is that being decreased when we continue to see waste uncollected at the facilities in Grand Bahama? Is the risk not increasing on that mere fact alone, and then you also have the issue of water not being on in parts of PMH (Princess Margaret Hospital) recently? Is that not at further risk? Why has the hazard and risk allowance been decreased?”

Dr Darville clarified that the risk allowance deals with staff. He recalled photos that circulated on social media months prior regarding waste at the Rand Memorial Hospital in Grand Bahama. He added that while medical waste disposal is the responsibility of the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA), his ministry is in negotiations with Sanitation Services and a new incinerator will be purchased.

“As far as risk allowance, it has to do with staff. It does not have to do with the function of the hospital itself,” Dr Darville said. “I know you made reference to some pictures that were on social media at the Rand Memorial Hospita, where the incinerator at the Rand Memorial Hospital does not meet the environmental standards.

"We have been in negotiations with Grand Bahama, I think it's the Freeport landfill. They are under Sanitation Services... They are in the process of purchasing an incinerator. Under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, medical waste, as well as other waste, is the responsibility of the Grand Bahama Port Authority. So my ministry is in negotiations with Sanitation.

“They're going to purchase an incinerator, and we would sub those services out to Sanitation. What's happening now is because of the incineration and the environmental impact from the smoke, we are exporting medical waste from Grand Bahama to New Providence. And the pictures indicated some of the bags that were picked up at the various clinics before they are containerised for export," he added.

"And so if you were to look back at the pictures, you will see that someone who wanted to create mischief took it while they were there and did not follow up to make sure that the pictures correspond with what was placed in the containers. That problem will be resolved shortly, and all medical waste at clinics, private and public, will eventually be the responsibility of Sanitation Services with a new incinerator that they're purchasing.”

Kwasi Thompson, the east Grand Bahama MP, noted an increase in the the allocation for the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA). However, he said a meeting with PHA senior management informed the Opposition that the agency was "severely underfunded".

“There was an increase in the allocation for this when we met with the senior management of the PHA. We meaning the Public Accounts Committee. Their evidence to us was that they were severely underfunded, and that they needed a great deal more resources,” Mr Thompson said.

“Is the $247m, is that sufficient? And sort of, how far is that from what they really need to be able to cover all of the needs that is required? How far off is that figure?” Opposition leader Michael Pintard added: “The reason the member for East Grand Bahama was asking is we certainly stand with you in terms of the scarcity of resources.

"But we know that every year, the team at PHA, they project a particular number, and then they look at the gap between that particular number and what is actually allocated. And then in that space, obviously, we know there are some things that you just won't be able to get done this year, and so you'll have to prioritise.

"All we were trying to do is get a sense. I think it is beneficial for the public to appreciate that we don't have infinite resources. So we're just trying to get a sense of what is that gap between the ideal as put forward by your team, and what you are actually able to do given the size of this Budget. And then, how are you prioritising, if you will, that gap?”

Dr Darville said the PHA will “work with” what it was given, but added: “When it comes to health, if there's a challenge we can always go back to the Ministry of Finance.”

“Health care is an expensive business,” Dr Darville added. “I think every minister here has wishful thinking to get more money. The Ministry of Finance has given us an additional increase of $22m. We're going to have to work with that. But I can say this much, that when it comes to health, if there's a challenge we can always go back to the Ministry of Finance, because there's sometimes unforeseen circumstances. But we have a $22m increase, and we're satisfied with what we have gotten.

“...We go to the Ministry of Finance every year with a projected Budget of what we feel is necessary to run the Public Hospitals Authority. I'm pleased to report that the projected increase of $22m appears to be satisfactory. But there's always unforeseen circumstances in health. There are illnesses that people get that you can't really project for, and you have to be able to make the difference.

"But I want to make it very clear that we're satisfied with the $22m increase. I believe that when we look at our shortfalls every year, I think it falls within the parameters where we fall short. And so we're going to try to make it work. And we are following the philosophies to try to do more with less.”