The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said government is working to improve dental health care services, including by recruiting dental staff from Cuba.

Dr Darville was responding to Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) president Kimsley Ferguson who complained last week about the poor working conditions of dental workers.

“We have been receiving a number of complaints from the dental department in that the facilities are inadequate,” Mr Ferguson said. “And they don’t meet the standards. We find that dental assistants are working, and the sections are not functioning properly. Chairs that would have been there have deteriorated.”

“We were assured by the Minister of Health that these things would be rectified. To date, at the Elizabeth Estates clinic, a chair was brought in, I think from a Family Island, to replace the old chair that is in place. It is still in the room that has been allotted for the dentists at Elizabeth Estates. And they’re still occupying the old room that they were occupying.”

Dr Darville said officials plan to address the problem.

“A few weeks ago, I got approval to bring on some additional dentists, dental assistants, hygienists to really begin to focus very heavily on getting our dental programme to a standard that we feel satisfied with,” he said.

“I can tell you that I’ve travelled throughout the family islands and a lot of the dental equipment is in need of repair. That would require more biomedical engineers and a complete assessment of dental equipment throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”

The minister noted his plans to travel to Cuba this week to recruit additional human resources for the country, such as dental assistants, biomedical engineers, and x-ray technicians.

He said: “My trip to Cuba will be trying to recruit or trying to bring into the country some additional manpower resources in order for us to keep our services functioning effectively. We know that the Princess Margaret Hospital is constantly being bombarded, and a lot of individuals will leave the system from time to time for greater opportunities.

“It is our job at the PHA and the Ministry of Health to ensure that those spaces are filled so that we can provide the services to the standard that is of utmost importance.”