Minister of Health Dr. Bernard Nottage addresses a parliamentary luncheon on National Health Insurance at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel on Wednesday.
“Despite this innate desire for good health, many Bahamians are on a collision course with death, chronic diseases and disability,” said Dr. Nottage, during a luncheon at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel in Nassau on Wednesday to update parliamentarians on plans to implement a National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme.
Dr. Bernard Nottage assured Prime Minister Christie that he will present him with a copy of the proposed National Health Insurance plan by the end of the year.
The health minister outlined some of the proposed details of the plan, and Prime Minister Christie questioned whether the proposal he would receive in December would detail how persons living on the Family Islands would benefit from the scheme.
“I am very proud of the work that has been done, but I think it is important for you as the health leader to recognize that the single greatest challenge you would have is how you meet the expectations of our people who live in these islands, particularly when it comes to life and death issues in healthcare,” Mr. Christie said.
He added that Family Islanders would expect the same level of care and treatment rendered to New Providence and Grand Bahama residents.
“There is going to be a string [of people] who are entitled to not just guarantied access to healthcare, but guarantied protection like the people of New Providence and Grand Bahama have access too. And I want [Dr. Nottage] to recognize that,” Mr. Christie said.
The prime minister added that health officials must accelerate the work that they are doing so that persons could receive more comfort when hospitalized.
“People die because they are poor; people fall through the cracks because they are poor and there is no circumstance under which we ought to compromise in this country and concede that you can only live or have that guarantee of living if you have money,” the prime minister said.
During his presentation, Dr. Nottage told parliamentarians that statistics have shown that many Bahamians have died of non-communicable diseases. He explained that with NHI Bahamians would have widespread access to adequate healthcare and the number of persons dieing from non-communicable diseases should decrease.
The health minister said with unprecedented economic development underway in The Bahamas, a healthy population is essential to ensure sustained progress.
“It is the view of my government, as the prime minister has often expressed, that access to quality healthcare regardless of economic and social status is a fundamental right. In The Bahamas some say that healthcare is available to all who need it, either through the private or public health sector. This may be true, but the fact is that the health services available in the public sector is limited and often do not meet the patientﾒs satisfaction,” Dr. Nottage said.
He assured that NHI will provide universal access to affordable quality care.
Based on its analysis of health needs and health financing, Dr. Nottage said the Blue Ribbon Commission on National Health Insurance recommended eight principles to guide the development of the health plan.
Those principles include universal coverage; mandatory membership; comprehensive benefits packages; affordable contributions; the provider network which should include professionals and facilities in the public and private sectors; payment mechanisms; administration which should be controlled by the National Insurance Board and reserves of contingency fund.
The health scheme, which government officials have said would cost $235 million a year, will reduce the need to hold cookouts and borrow funds for health expenses, according to Dr. Nottage.
Some of the benefits of NHI will be access to outpatient care, prescription drugs and medical supplies, laboratory and diagnostic services, inpatient medical and surgical care, inpatient mental health care for short stays, overseas care not available locally and emergency airlift and transportation of Family Island residents, according to government officials.
By: Bianca Symonette, The Bahama Journal
