Former Progressive Liberal Party Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament Bradley Roberts yesterday criticized the government for being “in stark contrast to the political rhetoric and promises made by the Prime Minister”.

Mr. Roberts said that “the Minnis  government is all talk and  not committed to building capacity in and modernizing the country’s healthcare delivery system.” 

He said  that  Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis recognized the importance of student doctors and the importance to provide necessary manpower within the healthcare system as prime minister and  reiterated the government’s commitment to reforming and modernizing healthcare in The Bahamas.

However  Mr.  Roberts said, “this rhetoric is all fine and dandy,  but the behavior and the policy of the FNM government are in stark contrast to the political rhetoric and promises made by the Prime Minister.”

He added, “If Dr. Minnis admits to the importance of the graduates to building institutional capacity and readily admits to manpower shortfalls in the system, then why the decision to abandon some nine doctors from the 2018 graduation class?”

Health Minster Dr. Duane Sands addressed this issue in the House of Assembly last week when he said that the Ministry of Health is working with the assistance of the CARICOM Secretariat along with other regional entities to accommodate the growing number of graduating doctors in the country. 

So far, the minister has been able to secure internship opportunities in the Cayman Islands. 

Mr. Roberts further questioned the status of the new hospital assigned to Grand Bahama, the mini hospital in Abaco, the hospital under construction in Cat Island and the completed clinic in Andros.

He said, “Does The Bahamas have a medical doctor resident on every Family Island? Has the government continued the expansion and refurbishment program it inherited in May 2017?” 

He also questioned the status of the expansion project for the Princess Margaret Hospital, inclusive of the maternity ward, the old emergency room and the public wards.

He added, “If the FNM government cannot commit to the fundamental policy of employing and training Bahamian doctors, then it is only paying lip service to the principle of  providing universal healthcare, reforming and modernizing the healthcare delivery system to facilitate this, and eliminating the manpower shortfall in the health system.”