By Keile Campbell

Tribune News Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement chairman and former Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands has raised fresh concern over drug shortages, warning that lives are being put at risk as basic treatments become harder to access.

Dr Sands, who continues to practise as a surgeon, said he has experienced delays in care due to a lack of essential medications and supplies, describing them as “either in short supply or simply unavailable”.

He said the Davis administration has not done enough to respond, and called on the government to focus on resolving systemic issues instead of what he described as politically motivated public relations.

He argued that the Progressive Liberal Party’s management of the healthcare system has made it increasingly difficult for doctors and nurses to carry out routine and life-saving interventions. He said he continues to receive daily reports from healthcare workers describing conditions that compromise patient care.

“Whether oncologists forced to delay chemotherapy, paediatricians managing seizures without the gold standard treatments, or nurses scrambling for basics like IV fluids and antibiotics. This is not just a logistics issue. This is a matter of life and death,” he said.

Dr Sands said operating theatres in multiple public hospitals remain underutilised, not because of inadequate infrastructure, but because of shortages in personnel and medical resources. He said these issues are not limited to Grand Bahama, and that Princess Margaret Hospital is also facing critical delays.

He said nearly 60 patients have been left waiting in the Accident and Emergency Department at PMH for hours or even days due to a lack of available beds, and claimed that ambulance services are operating below capacity, with some of the newer vehicles described by paramedics as unusable.

“The government seems more focused on spin than solutions,” he said.

Dr Sands maintained concerns of medical professionals have been repeatedly ignored, and said the current approach to health governance is unsustainable.

He said the FNM would prioritise investment in public healthcare infrastructure and the workforce, including a redevelopment of the Princess Margaret Hospital campus and support for nurses through fair compensation and improved working conditions.

He described healthcare as a fundamental right, and said his party is committed to restoring competence and compassion to the system.