By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association (BPA) slammed the government’s announcement of a plan to expand free medication coverage under the National Health Insurance (NHI) programme, calling it “insane” for lacking key details on cost, logistics, and stakeholder consultation.

Dr Marvin Smith, the association’s president, said Davis administration failed to consult the group and the wider pharmaceutical industry on its plans.

His comments to The Tribune came after Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville announced last week that more than 160,000 NHI members with chronic non-communicable diseases would soon receive free prescription medication.

Dr Smith told The Tribune that the move could have significant implications for the pharmaceutical industry, which may need to hire additional staff and address logistics to meet increased demand.

His views were echoed by other pharmacists, including former BPA president Shantia Heild-McBride, who told The Tribune that she heard the announcement simultaneously as everyone else.

Dr Smith said local pharmacies had written to Dr Darville twice last year requesting details on the transition plans for the Chronic Drug Prescription Programme but had yet to receive a response.

“It is tiresome,” he said. “All we’ve been asking from day one, let us partner with you to help you make what you’re trying to do the best possible thing for the Bahamian people and every single time, we have to beg and ask and almost go into the public media and embarrass them to the point where they have to talk to us.”

Mrs Heild-McBride commended the government for caring for Bahamians but emphasised the need for more details on the initiative.

She hopes the government will meet with the pharmaceutical industry to discuss the plans further.

Currently, 44,000 Bahamians –– primarily government workers and their families –– receive free medication under the NIB Chronic Drug Prescription Plan, which the Ministry of Health currently manages.

Dr Darville told the House of Assembly last week that the government now plans to transfer the initiative to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).

However, he did not disclose a budget or timeline for the programme, saying further details would be provided later.

“Is this,” Dr Smith said yesterday, “going to mean a tax increase in terms of contributions. Is this going to mean a tax increase somewhere else that is funding this because currently you’re running a deficit, and you’re only funded for 44,000 people?”

Meanwhile, Free National Movement Chairman Dr Duane Sands raised similar questions yesterday and called the PLP’s drug prescription promise another “public relations gimmick”, suggesting the government would not be able to afford it.

He claimed that at least two major pharmaceutical vendors are not being paid and have cut off supplies to the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA), which is facing a shortage of medication across public health facilities.

Dr Smith said while payments to private pharmacies for the drug programme have been fairly good, there may be changes if the programme is transitioned to another agency.

“Are the other processes going to remain the same?” he asked. “Or is this new move to NHIA going to mean different processes? Is the software going to remain the same? All of these things are critical aspects that that that pharmacies need to know.”

The president also raised concerns about the impact on the workload of pharmacies, explaining that if the patient load for medication increases, the workload will also rise.

He said most 44,000 patients under the NIB Chronic Drug prescription plan currently receive medications from private pharmacies, adding: “What is the government going to do?”

He questioned whether Princess Margaret Hospital would participate in the revamped drug prescription programme. He expressed doubt, saying the government would need to purchase a year’s worth of supplies to make it feasible.

“They have the supplies management agency, but that’s not built for long-term storage for all of these meds, for all of these people.” he said. “If you’re looking to cut the local distributors out and go and say you’re going to buy direct, buying direct means that they’re going to send you that stuff. They’re not looking to do no monthly orders on direct buying.” 

The BPA president also expressed concern over the government’s reliance on the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for medication supply, warning that the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) could significantly impact funding.

“It is clear that they have a misguided thought process if they believe any of those options can competently and efficiently provide medicines for the country given our size and geographical logistics,” the association said.