Speaking after a union meeting yesterday morning, Bahamas Doctors Union (BDU) President Melisande Bassett said while the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) promised the money owed to junior doctors, a system is needed to ensure that doctor’s receive their funds.
Since Wednesday’s strike action, BDU officials met with the prime minister and are waiting for a guarantee that these issues do not continue.
However, Dr. Bassett said money is not the main reason for the strike.
“This isn’t about money. This is a principle. This is a fundamental right that every Bahamian is afforded under law and it doesn’t matter whether it’s a private entity or the government,” she said.
“The laws are there to protect all Bahamians. They are there to govern every Bahamian and how we behave. This is a breach and the fact that now attempts are being made to rectify this breach, I think gives credence to that.”
Other issues plaguing the union are one to three year contracts for doctors, the request to be the bargaining agent for dentists, that interns receive housing, proper sleeping facilities for Grand Bahama doctors while on call and job letters for their interns.
Dr. Bassett explained that Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands and the PHA have agreed to sign off on some of these issues the union is faced with.
She reiterated that no lives are at risk during this process as the doctors continued their strike yesterday.
“We’re constantly in flux making sure that we had physicians available to respond to emergencies, to go into the hospital as needed, as they are called out to make sure that there is no shortfall and that lives are not in danger. We are doing the best that we can,” the union president said.
“If we get a call to say that we need an extra physician there, we make the change and we make sure that we show up.
“So, we’re not putting the public at risk. We’re fighting feverishly to bring this to an end so people can rest well at night and not have this overshadowing them.” Despite the assurance from the minister of heath, the union maintains it will not return to work until every request is m
