By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH Minister Dr Michael Darville insisted that doctors, pharmacists, and all stakeholders will be consulted as the government transitions to provide free medication for chronic non-communicable diseases to people registered with the National Health Insurance Authority. This follows pushback from the pharmaceutical sector, which called the plan “insane” due to the lack of details on cost, logistics, and stakeholder consultation.

Currently, 44,000 Bahamians – primarily government workers and their families – receive free medication under the NIB Chronic Drug Prescription Plan, managed by the Ministry of Health. The Davis administration plans to extend this to include over 160,000 NHI registrants.

However, the budget and timeline for the programme remain unclear. Dr Darville told Tribune Business earlier this week that new revenue will not required to finance the initiative, which will be funded from “massive savings in tertiary care costs”.

He also suggested that the government will not implement the policy without proper consultation.

“Consultation is a part of every policy decision, and so by no means are we going to leave anyone out, including the private sector, our pharmacists—both private and in the government services,” he told reporters yesterday.

“So yes, consultation is definitely necessary, so we didn’t side bar anybody. These things are on the way once the legislation is laid and the documents and the law is set, when NHI now becomes the authority responsible for chronic drugs, then the decision would be made, and we would consult.” 

Dr Marvin Smith, president of the Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association, told The Tribune earlier this week 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.

He added that local pharmacies had written to Dr Darville twice last year requesting details on the transition plans for the Chronic Drug Prescription Programme to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) but had yet to receive a response.

However, Dr Darville disputed this yesterday, insisting he had not received any communication from Dr Smith on the issue and emphasised that he maintains an open-door policy.

A letter from the association to Dr Darville was obtained and seen by The Tribune.

Still, the health minister said yesterday: “I’ve not received anything from him. Now, I don’t know if it was sent, but I haven’t received it. I have an open-door policy. I know the president - me and him as far as I’m concerned have a relatively good relationship. 

“My doors are open, and so if there’s any concern related with the association, related with the industry, I’m accessible. But he has made a public utterance that he tried to reach me on a couple occasions, I didn’t receive it. It could have been a fault drop in communication but the reality is that I am a public official, and I have to interface with the public.”