Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands today painted a picture of waste in the midst of a government cash crisis weeks before the May 10 general election.
As he contributed to the budget debate in the House of Assembly, Sands said he is ashamed by the former administration’s lack of fiscal prudence.
He said instead of addressing the $16.4 million shortfall that prevented the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) from purchasing much needed medication, vaccines and completing critical renovations at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), the government awarded over $90 million worth of medical-related contracts to the “party faithful” two weeks ahead of the election.
“There were fiscal decisions made that had a decidedly negative impact on the ability of the public health institutions to provide care for patients,” he said.
The health minister detailed some of the contracts awarded.
*$424,638.84 contract for monthly cleaning services for the Exuma mini hospital.
*$500,000 contract for monthly cleaning for the Abaco clinic, which Sands said is closed.
*$126,000 contract for monthly landscaping services.
NHI
The health minister said National Health Insurance (NHI) is a well-intended plan with great potential, but advised Bahamians who have private health insurance or who can afford it to keep it, as NHI has a long way to go.
The $40 million allocated for NHI will be redirected to improve the delivery of health care across the country, Sands said.
Sands added that $100 million will be allocated for the funding of NHI in the 2018/2019 budget.
The minister also revealed that the Christie administration spent $14 million on consultants for its NHI program.
*$1.2 million paid to Costa Rican firm Sanigest Internacional.
*$3.3 million paid to Fleishman Hillard to advertise, consult and conduct public relations services.
*nearly $1 million paid to PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
*$8.3 million paid to KPMG between April 2016 and June 2017.
Health
Sands said while the country can be proud to be leading the way on many fronts, including tourism and sports, it is also leading in ways that are destructive.
He pointed to startling statistics for HIV/AIDS, diabetes, breast cancer and homicides in The Bahamas.
“In the almost decade interval between 2005 and 2012 our nation saw a 16 percent increase in sedentary lifestyles diseases; a 13 percent increase in overweight; a 14 percent increase in obesity; a 55 percent increase in hypertension; and a 160 percent increase in diabetes,” Sands said
He noted that Bahamian women also have the highest incidence of gene mutations called BRCA-1 and BRCA-2, which is 300 percent higher than the world average.
Women with these genes are three to five times more likely to get breast or ovarian cancer than those without the genes.
Bahamian women are diagnosed with cancer at least a decade earlier than women in other parts of the world.
Sands said while Bahamians suffer from a number of catastrophic diseases, the bullet is the number one cause of death for Bahamian men.
As it relates to HIV/AIDS, in December 2014, there were 8,630 people living in The Bahamas with HIV/AIDS, representing two percent of the population and one of the highest incidence outside Sub Saharan Africa.
For comprehensive coverage of Sands’ contribution, pick up a copy of The Nassau Guardian tomorrow.
The Nassau Guardian - News Website
Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands today painted a picture of waste in the midst of a government cash crisis weeks before the May 10 general election As he contributed to the budget debate in the House of Assembly Sands said he is ashamed by the former administration’s lack of fiscal prudence He said instead of addressing the $16.4 million shortfall that prevented the Public Hospitals Authority PHA from purchasing much needed medication vaccines and completing critical renovations at Princess Margaret Hospital PMH the government awarded over $90 million worth of medical-related contracts to the party faithful two weeks ahead of the election There were fiscal decisions made that had a decidedly negative impact on the ability of the public health institutions to provide care for patients he said The health minister detailed some of the contracts awarded * $424 638 . 84 contract for monthly cleaning services for the Exuma mini hospital * $500 000 contract for monthly cleaning for the Abaco clinic which Sands said is closed * $126 000 contract for monthly landscaping services NHI The health minister said National Health Insurance NHI is a well-intended plan with great potential but advised Bahamians who have private health insurance or who can afford it to keep it as NHI has a long way to go The $40 million allocated for NHI will be redirected to improve the delivery of health care across the country Sands said Sands added that $100 million will be allocated for the funding of NHI in the 2018/2019 budget The minister also revealed that the Christie administration spent $14 million on consultants for its NHI program * $1 . 2 million paid to Costa Rican firm Sanigest Internacional * $3 . 3 million paid to Fleishman Hillard to advertise consult and conduct public relations services * nearly $1 million paid to PriceWaterhouseCoopers * $8 . 3 million paid to KPMG between April 2016 and June 2017 Health Sands said while the country can be proud to be leading the way on many fronts including tourism and sports it is also leading in ways that are destructive He pointed to startling statistics for HIV AIDS diabetes breast cancer and homicides in The Bahamas In the almost decade interval between 2005 and 2012 our nation saw a 16 percent increase in sedentary lifestyles diseases a 13 percent increase in overweight a 14 percent increase in obesity a 55 percent increase in hypertension and a 160 percent increase in diabetes Sands said He noted that Bahamian women also have the highest incidence of gene mutations called BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 which is 300 percent higher than the world average Women with these genes are three to five times more likely to get breast or ovarian cancer than those without the genes Bahamian women are diagnosed with cancer at least a decade earlier than women in other parts of the world Sands said while Bahamians suffer from a number of catastrophic diseases the bullet is the number one cause of death for Bahamian men As it relates to HIV AIDS in December 2014 there were 8,630 people living in The Bahamas with HIV AIDS representing two percent of the population and one of the highest incidence outside Sub Saharan Africa For comprehensive coverage of Sands’ contribution pick up a copy of The Nassau Guardian tomorrow