The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville could not say yesterday what percentage of applicants to the government’s Catastrophic Healthcare Fund have received help, renewing concerns about transparency around a programme that will receive $12m in public funding this budget cycle.

The fund, launched by the Davis administration in 2024, is designed to help Bahamians who cannot afford expensive, life-saving medical procedures. However, the government has released little information about how many people have received assistance, how applications are assessed or how much money has been disbursed.

The issue resurfaced during the House of Assembly’s budget debate when Long Island MP Dr Andre Rollins asked Dr Darville what percentage of applicants had received assistance and what share of the country’s needs the allocation meets.

Dr Rollins highlighted the case of Grand Bahama resident Kenneth Higgs, a single mother struggling to care for her 20-year-old daughter, who suffers from a serious medical condition involving fluid on the brain.
He said Ms Higgs has exhausted about $2m in healthcare and insurance coverage while seeking treatment for her daughter and must now turn to the government for assistance.

Dr Darville said his team has helped Bahamians who need life-saving procedures, but acknowledged he could not provide a percentage. He said some cases may not have reached him and encouraged people in need to seek assistance through their doctor or Member of Parliament.

“I can only tell you that since this line item was put in place, we've helped hundreds of Bahamians who would have not had means to survive or even have access to this type of expensive care,” Dr Darville said.

“I'm unable to give you an exact percentage, because in our public health care system, a lot of life-saving and life-threatening procedures are done through the public system. But there are some times when certain things in the public system are not available, and you need care from private facilities or facilities abroad, and this is what this line item does. We come to their rescue to the best of our ability.”

In April, Dr Darville said the programme had helped hundreds of Bahamians with serious conditions, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and orthopaedic issues, but did not provide a specific figure.

He has also said the fund is self-limiting, meaning assistance ends once the allocation is exhausted.
Funding for the programme has increased from $10m to $12m in the current budget cycle.
Former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands has also raised concerns about the programme’s transparency.

In April 2024, Dr Sands said he supported the initiative and believed it could be a game changer, but said key details remained unclear. He questioned who qualifies for help, how eligibility decisions are made and how the fund’s money is being spent, calling for greater transparency and regular reporting on expenditures.