The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville is leading a delegation to Geneva, Switzerland, for the 76th World Health Assembly, where the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance and universal health coverage is expected to dominate the agenda.

Dr Darville said universal health coverage is a priority for the Davis administration, which intends to repeal and replace the National Insurance Act.

With the hurricane season approaching, Dr Darville said climate change is producing more severe storms, the effects of which impact healthcare systems.

“Climate change is a big-ticket item for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,” he said in a video his ministry’s communication team sent ahead of the conference.

“Our healthcare system is affected by these tropical cyclones that come in our area and it’s important for us to notify the world and particularly at bodies like this on how climate change affect the delivery of healthcare services.”

The conference will also focus on the digitisation of healthcare services, an area Dr Darville said the government views as very beneficial for the country.

“The days will soon be gone where we have no digital monitoring in our pharmacies where medication in one island is close to expiration and in the other island, there is none and so if we are digitising, we can see these things and we can move things and do a better job in preventing wastage in the system,” Dr Darville said.

“I believe that digitisation, the eClinical records and the list goes on and on will prove to be very beneficial in the future.”

The assembly opened yesterday and ends next Tuesday, May 30.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Saving lives, driving health for all”, and it comes as the World Health Organisation is celebrating its 75th anniversary.