The Tribune

THE investigation in today’s Tribune that revealed the sale of abortion drugs despite the lack of a prescription has rung several alarm bells.

First, of course, is the sale of the drugs themselves. Not once was our investigator asked for the prescription to go with the drugs – with one pharmacist directing him to two doctors should there be any problems with their usage.

The problems that can be caused by such drugs were highlighted recently by Dr Leon Dupuch, who was previously the head of the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at Princess Margaret Hospital.

Women coming into the hospital after apparent usage of the drug, cytotec, has happened often enough to raise the alarm. They might be bleeding excessively, and even on occasion a potentially viable baby has been delivered with the remnants of the pills stuck to its body.

How many times does this happen? That’s hard to say – we have been unable to obtain statistics so far and as Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands says, those who use the drugs for an abortion are not often likely to come forward to say where they got them from even if things go wrong.

In essence, you get a grey market for such pills – being sold to people even though they are illegal.

That rings a second alarm bell – how many other drugs are also being sold illegally to people in this country? Do we have a Wild West operating over some drugs?

Dr Sands compares it to the numbers houses before they were legalised, saying “it’s illegal, wink wink, it doesn’t really happen, wink wink” before saying “you have to acknowledge there are things that are happening which are indeed illegal”.

Beyond that, we do urge parents and members of the community to reiterate that the use of such drugs, prescription or not, is never best as a first option for birth control.

As noted, the drugs have their own potential side effects – but the best method is prevention through safe sex. Educate young people in the use of condoms and other methods, not only to avoid the use of such pills unnecessarily but to help protect against other sexually transmitted diseases.

Last year, a report revealed that around one in 50 people in The Bahamas has HIV, the highest rate in the region. Educating young people in how to be safe can help prevent that problem too.

And in the meantime, those pharmacists who are breaking the law? No wink wink, just follow the law – or end up in court yourselves.

How long will bodies be stored?

The dispute between the Ministry of Health and Glenys Hanna Martin MP over claims of a “stench” around the container where the bodies of Hurricane Dorian victims are being stored is noise that surrounds a bigger issue.

If there is a problem with the refrigeration, of course it is an issue that needs sorting out. If there isn’t, then it’s perhaps no surprise that speculation about the conditions in which the remains are stored will circulate from time to time.

The bigger issue is this: What do we do next?

How long do such bodies get stored, even if the container is keeping them in perfect condition? What indeed is the plan for next week, next month, next year? Will those bodies still be in the container five years from now?

In short, when do we reach the point where the bodies – with DNA samples taken and preserved for later identification if possible – are buried respectfully?

Many might never be identified – many might be the remains of undocumented migrants who either have no relatives here or whose relatives are reluctant to come forward because they fear detention.

So far, all these months later, only four of the 55 dead in Abaco have been identified. We need to make tough decisions – on how long we can keep remains in this fashion, and on how we will proceed to let them rest with dignity.

More than that, the public needs to know what the plan is – so that people know how long they have to come forward if they haven’t already, or make their peace otherwise.

This is a situation that has no easy answers, no path forward that isn’t difficult – but clarity is the least that all concerned are owed.