The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Leader Arinthia Komolafe has called for the government and Health Minister Dr Duane Sands to produce a “comprehensive plan” for the nation’s healthcare system to ensure an improved standard of living for Bahamians.

Speaking to reporters at a DNA press conference held outside the Public Hospital’s Authority this week, Mrs Komolafe said the current state of the country’s healthcare system is “falling apart” and is not up to par for a “21st century Bahamas”.

“Healthcare is very important to the Bahamian people. It is very important to the foundation of our society,” she said.

“We have been recorded as being one of the sickest nations in the world because of the chronic illnesses that we have in obesity and diabetes and other types of chronic illness...so we’re calling upon the minister to speak strongly to these issues.”

Mrs Komolafe added one of the biggest challenges the public healthcare system faces is brain drain.

She insisted the country is losing a significant number of seasoned workers who prefer to work abroad due to the challenges working in the country present.

“We’re losing qualified professionals to developed countries like the United States and Canada and Great Britain because the benefits here, the salaries here, the working conditions here are not up to standard for qualified professionals in the healthcare system to work under.”

DNA Deputy Leader Buscheme Armbrister also stated that Princess Margaret Hospital was “engulfed in problems” and needed upgrades.

“. . .There is no morale within the entire hospital from the janitors all the way up to the senior doctors,” he said.

DNA Chairman Omar Smith added the issues the healthcare system currently face have not just started under the FNM administration.

“These are issues that we’ve been facing in this country over and over again,” he said.

“We’re saying to the Bahamian people: when are we going to stop accepting incompetence ? When are we going to stop accepting this low level of service from our government “

Insisting the country could not keep “doing the same things” repeatedly and expect a different result he added: “Change is coming and we’re here to tell them shape up or ship out.”

The press conference was part of the DNA’s “ten days of activism” which was launched last week.