The Tribune

FORMER Minister of Health Dr Marcus Bethel released a statement yesterday claiming the rise in infant mortality during his tenure was not the fault of the PLP government of the day.

According to Dr Bethel, who served from 2002 to 2006, the policies of the preceding FNM administration, and its funding of maternal and child health care, remained unaltered. He said: "The increase in infant mortality rates during 2002-2006 is not due to any changes in political or public health policies."

During a tour of the new Critical Care Unit under construction at the Princess Margaret Hospital earlier this month, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said he is disappointed that infant mortality numbers are not what they should be in a country like the Bahamas.

He said that it is his government's "hopeful expectation" that more focus will be brought to this area, so the Bahamas can have low double-digit infant mortality rates.

"It is the poor of society that require government intervention for public health matters, the wealthy and well-to-do are able to take care of themselves and so I've always been concerned with public health in the Bahamas in that regard," said Mr Ingraham.

Mr Ingraham stated that mortality rate climbed under the Christie administration, in what he described as a "slippage" between 2002 and 2007.

"This is a statement of fact. It's horrifying the neglect that took place in the five years I was out of office - unthinkably so," he said.

However, Dr Bethel said there are many contributing factors, including patient access to ante-natal services, patient compliance with established ante-natal protocols, cultural and language barriers, and human resource issues - including quality and quantity of nurses and physicians.

"The infant mortality rate in our small nation is significantly impacted by influxes of illegal migrants who may remain marginalised from established health care protocols due to language and cultural barriers," he said.