The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A trade union leader yesterday said not enough was being done by the Government to improve public healthcare infrastructure and services before the introduction of National Health Insurance (NHI).

John Pinder, the Bahamas Public Service Union’s (BPSU) president, told Tribune Business that while the NHI debate has largely focused on cost, not enough was being said about improving the infrastructure and public healthcare system.

“The Government is at least starting to educate the general population on what is to be expected,” he said. “I’m still waiting to hear about the infrastructure side of it.

“Cost is certainly a major concern, but infrastructure is also a concern. The question is whether the Government has the capacity to actually take on the number of persons in need of primary care. I don’t think we know that number.

“I  don’t know if PMH can accommodate that number. We have to take the burden off accident and emergency. Too many people that should be going to outpatient facilities are going to A&E.”

    Mr Pinder suggested that public clinics have been renovated to serve as outpatient facilities. “We need to look at the clinics, renovate them to the point where they can accommodate persons who would need to visit a doctor. If we could do that it would reduce the burden on A&E,” he added.

Mr Pinder said: “We have to recognise that if we are going to tax Bahamians to have affordable healthcare or better access to healthcare, certainly the infrastructure needs to be in place.

“I don’t hear enough talk about what improvements are being made made to cause there to be better service. I’m concerned about the training aspect of it, the cost and the infrastructure.”

Registration for NHI is expected to begin on January 18 through the National Insurance Board. Officials have said NHI’s primary healthcare (PHC) package will be introduced in April.