BY CLEMIA NEELY
Journal Staff Writer

In the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr.
Michael Darville, laid the National Health Insurance (Specified Chronic Diseases
Prescription Drug Fund) Bill 2025 which aims to repeal and replace the National
Insurance (Chronic Disease Prescription Drug Fund) Act Chapter 350A.
“Our county needs a Drug Plan to address national concerns over the problems
caused by chronic diseases which affect one in three Bahamians (many with more
than one condition) and limit their length and quality of life, the lack of timely
access by patients to essential drugs to manage conditions,” Dr. Darville said, “and the financial burden
facing patients, families, businesses and government in having to find the resources
to treat these chronic diseases.
“This new bill will help my Ministry with integrating the National Prescription
Drug Plan into the National Health Insurance Authority, a bold and necessary step
to ensure that every Bahamian can access affordable, high-quality medications to
treat chronic diseases,” he said. “This crucial piece of legislation marks a
significant step in our Administration’s overall agenda to transform the lives of
Bahamians by ensuring their fundamental right to health and longevity is
preserved.” 
Dr. Darville stated that our nation is plagued with chronic non-communicable
diseases like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Through
advancement in primary healthcare and work from the National Health Insurance
Authority, the Ministry is waging war against chronic non-communicable diseases
across the country.
The objectives of the Drug Plan are to improve access to prescription drugs and
medical supplies for use by patients by way of treatments and to prevent these non-
communicable diseases by providing funds for health promotion and wellness
projects in the community.
“With the passing and enactment of this new bill, the National Prescription Drug
Plan, which currently serves over 41,000 Bahamians, will now be
administered under the National Health Insurance Authority, providing equitable,
cost-effective, and standardized care for more than 160,000 beneficiaries across the
country.” Dr. Darville said.

“This integration now means a single access point to wear life-saving
medications to treat chronic non-communicable diseases by way of our
country; new national drug formulary will be accessible.”
He says that this also means better procurement practices, strategic partnerships,
and enhancing the use of digital health tools to track medicine compliance. This
bill will establish centralized purchasing of prescription drugs, introduce
standardized contracts and compliant mechanism for healthcare while
strengthening the NHIA’s role in national health delivery.