Health Minister Dr Duane Sands.
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands said yesterday the government intends to recruit medical professionals on a voluntary basis to assist Dominica.
Dr Sands told The Tribune he was distressed by the negative feedback on social media to the country’s humanitarian efforts, adding that the derisive commentary has exposed an ugly facet of Bahamian identity.
He said officials were still conceptualising how best to facilitate the pledge by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to send physicians to the devastated Caribbean island, adding it was likely professionals would be allowed to utilise vacation time for the mission.
“Now we have to flesh out what is possible,” he said. “We’ll open it up to any doctor, any nurse, any paramedic in the country. There are some Bahamians who will give the shirt off their back to somebody in need, unlike some people who believe it is only about them.
“I’m just distressed (by social media outcry) that this is who we are, we’re better than this.”
He continued: “Certainly while you can pay attention to print and radio, for better or worse social media has a significant influence in our thinking. To deny that, is like being an ostrich and sticking your head in the sand. When you see it and hear it, and hear it spoken publicly, it’s like really?”
Following a tour of Dominica on Monday, Dr Minnis announced the Bahamas would increase its initial offer to accept Dominican students wishing to complete their studies and also provide physicians to the storm ravaged island. Dominica’s schools and medical facilities were extensively damaged by Hurricane Maria.
Dr Sands said: “I think we have a duty to assist wherever we can. Once the challenge was made known to me to try and identify resources, what we are basically doing is conceptualising the approach, which will be primarily voluntary to allow individuals who might want to assist, to facilitate the leave time so they can make a contribution to the cause.
“Obviously we have staff with particular skill sets, whether emergency medicine, surgery, psychiatry, paramedics. Some of those have accrued vacation time so we can facilitate it and assist with getting down there.
“This is not five-star accommodations, this is a hardship post. You don’t have running water, electricity, not the best meals, anybody who volunteers for this type of thing clearly is doing it out of an abundance of concern for humanity.”
He added: “It’s one of the reasons I’m so distressed at the level of conversation. This is a democracy and people are entitled to their opinions but I find it interesting when you see the response about an offer to identify medical personnel to travel to an area where the hospital has been wiped out, where medical staff have probably been working nonstop for almost two weeks and maybe themselves at a breaking point.
“Sometimes if we can go lend a helping hand for a day, two days, three days, it can allow them to recharge their batteries and start the fight again.
“For them (Dominican medical professionals) they have no place left, this is home,” Dr Sands said.
Meanwhile Dr Minnis appealed to Bahamians for empathy after he and his delegation visited the CARICOM member country and witnessed the devastation firsthand. He told media at Jet Aviation on Monday night that the trauma from the monster storm was still very visible on the faces of the Dominican people despite their resolve to return the country to a state of normalcy.
Yesterday, Dr Sands was asked to comment on concerns over the country’s own healthcare challenges, particularly at the Princess Margaret Hospital.
“We can spare it,” he said.
“I don’t think you can relate the challenges that people have in the emergency room at PMH for instance, to a manpower issue. It is a much more complex issue. It speaks to infrastructure, it speaks to lack of bed space, it speaks to availability of diagnostic and therapeutic services, nursing complements, a number of things, and when we think about it, it also speaks to an inappropriate model of healthcare delivery where many people come to the emergency room that ought not be there.”
Dr Sands said the government has already taken steps to “decompress” PMH by redeploying additional resources to clinics like the Elizabeth Estates facility, which he noted was now open until 11pm.
“To say I waited three, four, eight, ten hours at an emergency room at PMH and therefore until that waiting time is cut down there is nobody who should open their hearts to someone who is in grave need, I think that’s a non-sequitur. I don’t think that is a logical conclusion, it’s an emotive conclusion. I acknowledge it, understand it, appreciate it but I can say that we have to ensure that the conversation is elevated to a different level.”
Dr Sands told The Tribune yesterday a major pharmaceutical company had already given a significant donation of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals.
Comments
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrades! There is more going on here than the Bahamalander people are being told? What exactly are these reds up to? Why not show the same excitement for helping the pressing needs poor and near of your own people?
Yet another member the Minnis cabinet lines up to lecture people the Bahamaland. The Minnis administration have stepped in with Bahamaland's public purse as a de facto government for the Dominican people. These reds are becoming Red "TurnGoats" BAAAAAAAAA!!!
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 1 month ago
And to think it was only yesterday that Duane Sands was complaining about the serious shortage of medical professionals in our country, especially qualified nurses. Add to that his many complaints about the lack of resources needed to repair and maintain PMH and family island medical facilities, as well as fund the NHI program. But now we see Sands put in the awkward and embarrassing position of having to kowtow to Minnis's desired message as our PM doubles down on his earlier shoot-from-the-hips mistake.
Throughout the general election campaign, Minnis relentlessly hammered the PLP for many of the hardships facing the Bahamian people today, in large part due to our crippled economy and the dire financial predicament of our government. The incessant mantra from Minnis on the campaign trail was: "It's the people's time!" Fast forward and now we find PM Minnis preferring to be much more concerned about our role in CARICOM, the Caribbean Region and the World. Has Minnis lost his marbles? Have the 'elitist trappings' of the PM's Office and role gone to his head? Has he somehow forgotten the clear mandate Bahamian voters gave him in a landslide election outcome? Something is definitely amiss in Minnis's dismissive behavior and attitude towards our underprivileged and needy brothers and sisters right here at home. Minnis's doubling down on a past mistake he made in shooting-from-the-hip will not bode well for him politically or the Bahamian people socially and economically. And it is beneath the Office of the PM for Minnis to double down on a past mistake by using the 'Christian card', much like the 'race card' was used by previous PLP administrations. Minnis must get off of his high horse and start doing what he was elected to do - the Bahamian people's business!
Reality_Check 7 years, 1 month ago
What part of the saying "Charity begins at home" does Minnis not get?! This is a well known proverb that expresses the overriding demands of taking care of one's family and others close to us, e.g. our own fellow Bahamians, before caring for others, especially those in distant countries. Perhaps Minnis is unaware of recent translations of 1 Timothy 5:8 that state: "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
Reality_Check 7 years, 1 month ago
As a medical doctor Minnis should at least understand why the airline flight attendant always tells you to put on your oxygen mask first before trying to help others do so, including your own children seated next to you. The principle is a very simple one: Without attending to your own vital (emergency) needs, how can you possibly justify attending to those of others. Notwithstanding all of his election campaign talk, it seems Minnis somehow no longer thinks there are any Bahamians who have vital (emergency) needs right here at home. A hurricane relief donation of US$200,000 from our government (the Bahamian people) to the people of Dominica would have been ever so much more fairer, sufficient and appropriate in the circumstances.
Itellya 7 years, 1 month ago
We have a nursing shortage because in recent years they changed from an associates to a bachelors degree program. So now it takes basically 5 years + plus the COB/UB bureaucracy, the postponement of courses from one semester to another, adding classes that were not included at the outset etc. etc.... which can run into an additional year or two. Stick 3 more years on that and you can be an MD.
If the need and demand is so great and the desire is to have Bahamian nurses, the initial training should be an Associates in Science Degree (2 1/2 -3yrs MAX and into the work place. Later on If they want to specialize, teach, or do management then they can pursue a bachelors or masters.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 1 month ago
Where are these 'available' medical volunteers that PM Minnis wants Duane Sands to find and send to Dominica? The following article written by Jayme Pinder was published in today's edition of The Nassau Guardian. It seems Sands has no shame in singing whatever conflicting song Minnis tells him he must sing for his supper. Just how much of a fool can Duane Sands be?
Quote A program is being “actively designed” to retain healthcare providers after a report showed that there is a shortfall of more than 800 professionals in the healthcare sector, Health Minister Dr. Duane Sands revealed yesterday.
As he highlighted that the healthcare sector has been hampered by the longstanding issue of the “predatory recruitment” of staff, Sands said the ministry is currently working on tackling the problem.
Sands did not say when the program could be expected.
“In a recent recruitment exercise, it was reported, and I’m advised, that we would have had as many as 60 nurses recruited to leave The Bahamas,” Sands said.
“That’s on top of an ongoing deficit of more than 400 nurses across our system.
“I’m absolutely worried because we find ourselves in a situation where it is difficult to provide services without the necessary human resources.
“You can only provide medical services if you have doctors and nurses.
“So when we look at our deficiencies across the healthcare system as of this year, we have a total deficiency measured at more than 800 professionals and that is including doctors, physiotherapists, nurses, etc.
“Yes, we recruit heavily from the Philippines, Jamaica and Africa but that in and of itself has implications for the interaction between Bahamian patients and the healthcare team.
“So if you are able to walk and chew gum at the same time, you have to acknowledge that this is an existential threat to the healthcare system and we are actively designing a program to be proposed to increase retention of our healthcare providers.”
There is also a major shortage of workers throughout the Family Islands.
There are currently no physicians in Mayaguana; Spring Point, Acklins; Crooked Island; George Town, Exuma; Sandy Point, Abaco; and Spanish Wells, Eleuthera.
Sands said the ministry has already initiated the hiring process to fill the vacancies.
As it stands, two potential physicians have been identified who may be placed on the Family Islands.
Sands said the ministry expects to complete hiring by January 2018 and placement by April 2018.
In the meantime, the ministry will continue rotational monthly or weekly coverage. Unquote
Reality_Check 7 years, 1 month ago
Not only is Minnis capable of making himself look like a real fool, but he's very capable of making those around him look like real fools too, especially his lap dog cabinet ministers who are only too willing to say "How high?" whenever he tells them to "Jump!" In this particular case Duane Sands will of course now waffle on about whatever to try get back his credibility, but it's too late. The damage has been done. Sands now knows that undying loyalty never comes without a dear price attached to it.
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrades! Oh where is the promises made by the then 2017 General Election's red shirts candidates - now elected MP's - when the poor and the near poor needs them most..... gone all Dominican good smaritianson - flying around on {please explain } private jets. Is they too on the public purse....even carrying aboard some interesting passengers?
Sweet Jesus, we does need you come for a Bahamalander visit, as the House of Assembly's Chaplain. Please hurry!
Ironic is it not that the PM has just commenced an audit into the former PLP's administration's travel expenses? Couldn't the PM not have done a bank wire transfer of the $60,000 donation - not deliver it by a prop jet? { Why bother making this stuff up? }. Amen!
Truism 7 years, 1 month ago
Unbelievable, unthinkable. How is anyone expected to make sense of the pronouncements. There appears to be no method in this madness. Our political leaders appear clueless or totally without integrity.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 1 month ago
I don't have any problems sending physicians to help people in need. What I do have a problem with is this:
"He said officials were still conceptualising how best to facilitate the pledge by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis"
WHY WHY WHYafter the big hullabaloo over the last pledge, WHY would you return and commit the same sin??? Whhhhhhyyyyyyy? Why not come back, privately speak to Dr Sands to find out what was possible, how soon, how long and for how much, THEN, tell the public what the plan is. This is craziness.
CatIslandBoy 7 years, 1 month ago
It is a crying shame that so many of you her are simply blinded by your hate of the FNM government, and probably overly jealous of PM Minnis, that your lack of compassion, and stingyness, has gotten the better of you. I would certainly like for someone to point out the "masses of starving Bahamians". Where are they? Please stop hiding behind these made up "masses", and say what you really mean. For some insane reason, some Bahamians think that they are better off than many of their Caribbean neighbors. This is a lie straight from the pit of hell.
I fully understand now why we are considered a backwards country, existing on some rocks in the Atlantic Ocean. It is unbelievable that so many don't understand that it is our civic duty, as a member of the international body, and Caribbean community, to do more than sit idly around a keyboard criticizing those trying to make a difference. When Cuba, and Venezuela, are stepping up to the plate, despite their economic situations, and making a difference in those peoples' lives, what is wrong with the Bahamas lending a helping hand? Prime Minister Minnis should be commended for leading the way. The only worthy response to his efforts should be: how much can we do?.
spoitier 7 years, 1 month ago
I am saying the same thing, they don't want to understand that good deeds comes back to you one way or the other. I remember back some 30 years ago my father car broke down and a Haitian mechanic stop and look at it and said to me bring your car by the house tomorrow and I said I don't have any money right now. He raise his voice to me and said I told you to bring the car I didn't said anything about money, so in the morning when I brought the car he explained to me that he wouldn't have been where he was today if it wasn't for my father because my dad help him got straight to stay in the Bahamas. We don't know what any of those students could turn out to be and in turn bless us or skip a generation and bless our sons and daughters because we open to them in time of need.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 1 month ago
Good deeds can be planned properly. It's almost like Dr Minnis wanted a big controversy. It's Déjà vu all over again. Completely avoidable. This isn't hard. How many, when are they leaving, when will they return, where will they stay, what assistance will they render....you don't even have to know "who". Just create the slots and calculate the costs. If you get less than expected, fine, you've already planned for X amount.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 1 month ago
Same shit again ......... many islands do not have functioning clinics or medicine and a doctor or nurse ..... but we can take them down to Dominica ..... am finished!!!!!!!!
birdiestrachan 7 years, 1 month ago
catuslandboy why would any one in the whole wide world be jealous of roc wit doc? Dr sands pretends to forget how much the FNM party used social media to win the election. now they have a problem because it has turned against them.
The ugly facet of the Bahamas Doctor is how your FNM Government treats Commissioner Greenslade. When you people send the police with guns to arrest persons as in Mr: Smith's
case for removing his own property. When you all put Bahamians out of work and break contracts and award the contracts to your people. Example Mr: Smith with the sea wall. in Grand Bahama Now that is ugly. very ugly. in order to sit in judgement your hands must be clean and all of you as a group do not have clean hands. the record speaks for itself. not to mention the master full lies you folks continue to tell.
CatIslandBoy 7 years, 1 month ago
Birdie, you are hopeless. I can't respond to your meaningless ramblings. One of these mornings you will wake up and realize that your beloved PLP party is no more. So long, bye bye!
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 1 month ago
Let's just focus on putting needy, short changed and down trodden Bahamians where they properly belong, i.e. ahead of partisan party politics and way in front of Minnis's wannabe world leader ego run amok.
alfalfa 7 years, 1 month ago
Not to worry. We can always bring in expat Cuban and Filipino doctors to send to Dominica. They are all you see at the PMH and Clinics anyway. Meanwhile, qualified Bahamian Nurses, Doctors, and Pharmacists, are relocating or being placed at the back of the line behind all others. Lets see who volunteers. Maybe Sands and Minnis will go.
birdiestrachan 7 years, 1 month ago
Catislandboy not one single lie, all true. what I have written. so far your beloved FNM party is not doing well. The truth hurts I know. But I remain truthful even when it hurts. you should try it some time. You and doc.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 1 month ago
Unfortunately @CatIslandBoy seems to have way too much skin in the Minnis-led FNM game to see the trappings of poverty under which so many very young and very old Bahamians are living these days. There are few things more blinding than partisan party politics taken to the extreme, with possibly a view to somehow currying favour from the very top for self-gain.
CatIslandBoy 7 years, 1 month ago
@Well_mudda. I don't think that I am blinded by partisan politics. I am just keeping it real, and calling a Spade a Spade. It is a pity that we can't have a civilized discussion before descending into name-calling. I have no need to curry-favor for any self-gain. I have made my money, and enjoy a very comfortable retirement, so there's very little the FNM, or any other party can do for me personally. However, I do want them to succeed in their quest to root out corruptions, and the myriad of ills that plague our country; and I'm not silly enough to believe that they are able to exceed expectations in less than 6 months in office.
CatIslandBoy 7 years, 1 month ago
Birdie, you wouldn't know the truth if it hits you smack in the face. I have read every single post of yours, since 11th. of May. You have never had one decent sentence, or even of hope for the country. All you write is gloom and doom, hoping that "our" government fails. It is one thing to be a die-hard PLP supporter, but quite another to be delusional and pretend that the PLP was not rotten to the core. When you condemn those PLP who raped and plundered the public's purse, through extortion etc., then you will have some credibility. Until then, take a vacation for the next five years, as honest politicians attempt to re-build a broken country.
juju 7 years, 1 month ago
Drs Minnis and Sands are open minded leaders and Chrisitans, and are doing the right thing for the people of Dominica.
I am a Katrina survivor, and experienced the fear and post trauma stress that occurs when on e experiences such loss and disruption of business, family, property and normal daily life.
Much good comes from bad. Those persons who volunteer to help Dominicans are true Christians, and will not only feel good about themselves, but will make the Bahamas proud. What goes around, comes around, and when our hurricane arrives one day, the Dominicans SHOULD reciprocate and be there for OUR people.
Please support huuricane relief aid and the government. This is a temporary effort.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 1 month ago
This isn't about hurricane relief or being a good Christian.its about "planning". They need to start acting like they know how to organize. I see Trump doing lots of good deeds sending food and water to Puerto Rico and it's all stuck at the dock, why? No plan.
Socrates 7 years, 1 month ago
i hope one day we dont find ourselves in a similar position.. we bahamians are too arrogant.. i remember when Pindling and Hanna used to brag about how much better our financial position was compared to those down south, now look at us, debt to GDP almost 80% with no-growth, stagnant economy. our time is coming....
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 1 month ago
I want them to send ALL the help they possibly can to our brothers and sisters in Dominica. Because they're hurting. But I want them to do it in order, especially if you're talking about sending persons into a situation where their health and safety could be compromised.
If it's just money and goods by all means, mobilize as quickly as you can. Remember that Minnis had a whole week before PM Skerritt travelled here to think of what forms of assistance we could offer. He had another week before visiting Dominica to think of additional support.
We have to get better with our response times and response quality.
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