Since the launch of the enrolment phase of National Health Insurance (NHI) Bahamas on April 24, more than 15,000 persons have enrolled and over 11,000 beneficiaries have been matched with their selected primary care doctor.

These numbers are growing every day, as enrolment continues across the country and persons are starting to receive primary care services in New Providence and across the Family Islands.

As of May 18, a total of 15,640 enrolment applications have been received and 11,044 persons have been matched with a provider.

This means that more than 11,000 Bahamians or legal residents can start seeing their NHI registered Primary Care Provider and receive care at no out of pocket cost to them.

Many of these persons have never had a doctor of their own who coordinates their care, nor did they have private health insurance.

“Our team at the NHI Secretariat has heard many stories from Bahamians about how much having access to a doctor – their doctor who they choose during the enrolment process – means to them,” said Permanent Secretary for NHI Peter Deveaux-Isaacs.

“I think a lot of persons take for granted that they can see a doctor when and where they want to. But we need to remember that two-thirds of our population may not have had that option before NHI Bahamas came on board.”

The following data represents a breakdown by age and gender of the enrolment applications that have been received thus far:

• 62.5 percent of enrollees are female
• 37.5 percent are male
• 34.3 percent of enrollees are between the ages of 15-44
• 31.7 percent are between the ages of 45-64
• 18.1 percent are over 65-years-old
• 13.8 percent are between the ages of 3-14
• 2.1 percent are two-years-old or younger

The enrolment process is ongoing and persons are encouraged to enrol online at www.nhibahamas.gov.bs, or in-person at the following enrolment locations in New Providence:

• Cotton Tree Plaza on Bernard Road, Fox Hill – 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. (Monday-Friday), 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (Saturday)
• Enoch Beckford Memorial Auditorium on Carmichael Road – 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. (Monday-Friday), 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Saturday)

Residents in the Family Islands can enrol online or in-person at their local NIB office.

The NHI Secretariat also holds daily popup enrolment sites in an effort to bring enrolment to as many communities as possible.

Over the next week, popup enrolment sites will be set up at the following locations:

• Friday, May 19 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. – University of The Bahamas, Harry C. Moore Library, Nassau
• Monday, May 22 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. – National Insurance Board Headquarters, Baillou Hill Road, Nassau
• Tuesday, May 23 from 8:30 a.m. -5 p.m. – Mall at Marathon, Nassau
• Wednesday, May 24 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Grand Bahama Port Authority, Freeport

Persons are encouraged to visit www.nhibahamas.gov.bs to ensure they are familiar with the enrolment process and the list of NHI Bahamas registered physicians.