HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville.
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said there is a need for emergency funding for the public healthcare system as it grapples with the COVID-19 crisis.
Dr Darville was appointed health and wellness minister during a swearing-in ceremony at Baha Mar on Monday. Since the appointment, Dr Darville told reporters he has visited several healthcare facilities and held numerous meetings with health officials to get a better idea of the country’s fight against COVID-19.
“My initial assessment is we have a lot of work to do and there’s definitely a need for emergency funding,” he said yesterday.
“We have some of our suppliers as well as individuals involved in the fight who need to be paid and the prime minister has instructed me to find out exactly what is happening on the ground and I have done that.
“I have a few more places to visit. I intend to visit the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre and then do a cross the island tour of our clinics to see where we’re at and how we can bring relief to those residents and healthcare professionals on those islands.”
Dr Darville said officials are hoping to move swiftly to address all health-related concerns and get the COVID-19 situation under control.
He said his team has already identified a “potential” place to house additional beds for COVID patients and are working to increase manpower in public health.
“Everywhere we go, we realise that our staff are overworked,” he continued. “Some of them are extremely exhausted and we find shortages with our nurses, sometimes with our physicians as well as our other healthcare professionals. We don’t want to leave them out.
“Our lab services are also lacking so we have to look at where we are financially and begin to start the process to improve the manpower resources at these facilities so that we will be better able to move at a rapid rate and get our COVID situation as well as to improve upon our primary healthcare facilities.”
He also said the Davis administration is committed to building a new hospital.
“The need for a new hospital is paramount. I can tell you this much,” Dr Darville added. “Under this administration, we will be moving very rapidly to address that additional need while at the same time doing the necessary renovations and improvements at our current tertiary facilities, so I do agree that we need to improve upon what we have while we begin to lay solid plans to construct a new facility here in New Providence as well as in Grand Bahama.”
Comments
stillwaters 3 years, 2 months ago
People are now looking to this new government to make some kind of aggressive plan to fight covid.......there is no plan they can come up with that can keep the virus out of your body. Please stop waiting for some magical plan, people......make a personal safety plan for yourself on how you're going to keep this virus out of your own body. This government will soon start using the words.....personal responsibility.....very often once the dust settles.
Cobalt 3 years, 2 months ago
So how come this wasn’t what y’all were saying when Minnis was in office?? When the FNM was in power people like you were blaming the Government for COVID!! But now that the PLP is in power, all of a sudden it’s the people’s responsibility to keep themselves safe??? Y’all Bahamians are comical at best!!
stillwaters 3 years, 2 months ago
I was saying this for almost two years now.....right on this blog
ohdrap4 3 years, 2 months ago
Not we all. Renward Wells said the vaccine was a silver bullet.
I wear my mask. Does it stop covid? Prolly not. But it stops the flu and other droplet transmussion things. Dont want to have that and Covid.
Minnis told the vaccinated to party on.
Delta will end the pandemic. It will slow down new variants and force treatments to be used.
themessenger 3 years, 2 months ago
Dr Darville, our national dept now outstrips our GDP, if you’re looking for ways to spend money we don’t have why don’t you start with fixing what we already have?
TalRussell 3 years, 2 months ago
@Sheepie, halfway into 2021 election day, — hadn't the — fix be done well-underway — to royally stuck it to Minnis and his 32 RedParty's 2017, won House-seats, — Yes?
Proguing 3 years, 2 months ago
hmmm so they want to spend more money and cut taxes, looks like another debt downgrade is right around the corner...
Cobalt 3 years, 2 months ago
I tried to tell y’all things were going to get worst under Brave and the PLP!! Nobody wanted to listen! But just wait!
joeblow 3 years, 2 months ago
... throwing money at this problem will not solve it. Following the path of highly vaccinated countries that now have multiple challenges and have to follow the repeated booster plan is unsustainable.
We have followed the FDA model and the morgue is full, so maybe its time to start thinking outside the box and using alternative therapies as some other countries have!
JokeyJack 3 years, 2 months ago
"...so we have to look at where we are financially and begin to ..."
If your leader had called regular meetings of the Public Accounts Committee of which he was the Chairman for the past 4 years, you would KNOW where you are financially already. Did you guys just graduate kindergarten last week?
tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago
He sure seems in a hurry to get his hands on a significant amount of funds.
Can't help but wonder who will be among the lucky selected suppliers and individuals to get paid with borrowed funds.
We sure would love to know who presently owns the "potential" place under consideration.
CoolCatBD 3 years, 2 months ago
Home based kits, to help fight covid. This is working India and Japan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO9cjy3…
It may work here too!!!
ohdrap4 3 years, 2 months ago
They used those with success in Mexico too. A much lower dose of ivetmectin than used in India.
More than 3 billion people have used ivermectin and the adverse effects are minuscule compared to those of amoxycilin that your dentist gives you before root canals.
CoolCatBD 3 years, 2 months ago
Yes, this early treatment can "save lives", and can save the government money, at the same time!
bahamianson 3 years, 2 months ago
Health system needs money? I have a solution, just increase VAT to 20% and use that.
TalRussell 3 years, 2 months ago
Regardless of your politics, the new premier, looked around, before — Pluckin' — who he believes is most qualified and committed to handle complexities colony's healthcare, — Yes?
M0J0 3 years, 2 months ago
if we look at this unbiased it doesn't make fiscal sense to keep pumping money into a structure that simply isn't worth the investment. A new hospital is needed but same time it should not be rushed. Even if it takes years to chip at a little at a time then do what must be done. Gladstone road is ripe for the picking for an area for a new hospital. Something that can accomodate emergency helicopter flights , can even possibly have our own emergency helicopter unit which can charge for flights. Need innovative minds, it may cause money but if it has the ability to raise money to be slightly more self sufficient why not.
OMG 3 years, 2 months ago
In that case do not let any nursing officer on a family island handle the charter costs. In Eleuthera emergency flights (Not lifeflight) seem to have no bearing on the distance, time or type of plane , cost and rarely are official reciepts given .
John 3 years, 2 months ago
Paging Dr Minnis… your needed urgently at PMH. Also paging Dr Duane Sands!
DonAnthony 3 years, 2 months ago
Borrow, borrow, borrow, to pay for Gussie Mae cabinet and cronyism and travel for Fred Mitchell. IMF will be in Bahamas before this PLP term in office has been completed.
John 3 years, 2 months ago
First of all does anyone know that new Covid cases has been declining in this s country so nice the first of September? And after the few bumps in the road, probably due to campaigning and elections. Do you know that cases, worldwide have been declining for nine days in a row and the longest period of decline since June? Do you know that this is despite the US having sports events with filled stadiums and other overcrowded social events? Do you know that experts have declared that the Delta strain has peaked and is now in decline? And do you know that the decrease among new cases is spread among vaccinated people and unvaccinated people? And the same for populations. The big question is WHAT? What happens after Delta. Is there another wave coming or is this the end to Covid-19? . . So it does mean that the numbers at PMH and other healthcare facilities should start to decline. Some semblance of normalcy should return and caregivers can expect some relief, if only temporarily. Maybe there will be enough breat room to start isolating Covid patients from to PMH to just one facility. South Beach maybe. . . BUT Don’t get caught off guard, like the Minnis Administration got caught with the third wave. Be prepared to go back into overdrive at the drop of a hat. And monitor what is going on in various communities. Put more controls on persons that should be in isolation. Is it a good idea to vaccinate school age children? Did we experience the same level of infection among children. One school district in the US has some 40,000 school children in isolation. Unless situation changes, health care must be offered within the parameters that are available. And the best weapon trot the battle is to avoid people getting sick.
OMG 3 years, 2 months ago
If we as citizens ran our finances like government ministers we would all be bankrupt in no time. The PLP has no magic covid wand and cannot force people to be vaccinated. As for new hospitals and lowering taxes with a GDP debt of 80%, downgrading by Moodys just where will all this money come from. Politicians tell you what the public want to hear then get in power and reality hits home.. Bet you there will be no new hospitals built. How about paying for patient care at private clinics like the one in Palmetto Point which has clean modern facilities, emergency generator (that works) and several items of modern equipment. Got to be cheaper than building new family island cliinics that will suffer from lack of maintenance, equipment that is damaged, broken or not maintained.
whogothere 3 years, 2 months ago
Stop fighting COVID focus on treatment...cases are plunging just as they did this time last year in spite of election craziness. It's time to move on. It's clear - masks, social distancing, sanitising are all wasted effort - vaccination was short term solve but that ship is sailing fast. Focus on getting businesses back up and running get Bahamian entrepreneurs building. Get schools open. Tighten taxation of property and get rid of the government owned money gobbling leviathans...be bold be brave be better.
TalRussell 3 years, 2 months ago
My people are attempting to make a connect with Guardian's talkie host, Comrade Juan's people, —availing myself for a 15-minute —no cheat sheet telephone chit chat, —Yes?
Clamshell 3 years, 2 months ago
I dunno … do you speak as weirdly as you write? I’d tune in … 🤣
TalRussell 3 years, 2 months ago
@ComradeClam, my apologize, if I put you into a tizzy. — I think by now, followers this hereto Tribune, knows whilst I write weirdly. — That what I post, has brought back so many bad House-elected Red MPs, memories. —And, I've done my best, not to make it personal. — The rackin up $11+ Billion national debt, means I have a — renewed 2021 - 2026 license — To speak up on behalf of the — alive and Covid's deaded — Popoulaces, — Yes?
Clamshell 3 years, 2 months ago
Uh … will you ever learn how to spell “populace”? And that as a collective noun it’s never used as a plural? … 🤣 … And, as far as “followers of this hereto Tribune” go, it seems that they have simply tuned you out. Your posts no longer draw any responses … except this one!
TalRussell 3 years, 2 months ago
Funny, just minutes ago, I heard — non-other than Minnis, has adopted — talkin' same — Popoulaces, — I guess he too— tuned me out,— Yes?
TigerB 3 years, 2 months ago
Tell Chester dat.. he is the finance man.
Economist 3 years, 2 months ago
Just close Bahamasair, then you got plenty, plenty money for health.
John 3 years, 2 months ago
So what about those 20,000 Haitians under the bridge just off the US coast in Texas? They say some are being granted entrance to the US and given status, but some, mostly single males and being denied entry, being vaccinated and being deported to Haiti. The issue with this is they didn’t come from Haiti. They came from Chile and Brazil and other South American countries where they had status. Some have never been to Haiti and others have never been to Haiti as an adult. All of their immediate families are in the US or South America. Persons sent back to Haiti in this fashion usually end up being robbed, murdered or living on the streets. Will they now try to come here
tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago
Right about now Davis is finding out that he truly is PM in name only and that the IMF is in the driving seat. LOL
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