The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net 

THE Davis administration has initiated an internal audit of its Catastrophic Healthcare Fund, a move announced by Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville this week — though no timeline or detailed scope of the review has been provided.

According to Dr Darville, the Ministry of Finance has engaged government auditors to conduct the process, which he pledged would culminate in a report to be tabled in both chambers of Parliament. However, key questions about how the fund operates — including eligibility criteria and frequency of disbursements — remain unanswered.

The announcement follows sustained criticism from the opposition over the fund’s lack of transparency. Former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands has long raised alarms, pointing out the absence of publicly available data on who benefits from the programme and under what conditions.

In Parliament this week, Dr Darville hailed the fund as a “life changer”, asserting that hundreds of Bahamians have received assistance.

“Just last week, my ministry assisted a child from one of our Family Islands who needed neurovascular surgery abroad for an accidental injury that could not be done in the country,” he said, referencing one recent case during his budget contribution.

He said that the ministry regularly receives letters of thanks from recipients, framing the fund as a precursor to a fully realised National Health Insurance plan.

The fund’s allocation has risen from $10m to $12m in the new budget cycle.

“When the plan was initiated, I indicated that it would be fully audited, and I am pleased to report that the Ministry of Finance has initiated the process,” Dr Darville said. “On completion, the reports will be laid in both chambers for complete transparency.”