The Ministry of Health & Wellness is leading a movement to ensure all Bahamians have access to quality and affordable health care.
This declaration was made by the Minister of Health and Wellness the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville during his contribution to the Mid-Term Budget debate in the House of Assembly, recently.
“The Ministry of Health & Wellness is no longer simply managing a system, it is leading a movement. A movement to make sure no Bahamian is left behind when it comes to healthcare.
“A movement to build something stronger, fairer, and better than what we met coming to office. A movement that will not stop until every Bahamian on every island has access to the care they truly deserve,” said Dr. Darville on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
During his last Budget contribution the previous fiscal year, he foreshadowed a plan to move the Chronic Drug Prescription Plan from the National Insurance Board (NIB) to the Ministry of Health and Wellness. “Well I am pleased to report to this honorable House that the management of the Chronic Drug Prescription Plan is now nested within the Ministry of Health & Wellness.
“Much work has already been done with our partners from NHI and NIB to move this plan to its final destination which is the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA),” he told parliament.
And, to facilitate this, he intends to present to the House of Assembly, a compendium of bills – the NHI Bill, 2025 that would repeal and replace the current NHI Act, along with amendments to the Pharmacy Act and the NIB Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Prescription Drug Plan Act.
“Once these bills are debated, passed and gazetted, my ministry will finalize the necessary legal adjustments taking us closer to universal healthcare coverage by way of the National Health Insurance,” said Dr Darville.
According to the minister, this move was foreshadowed and subsequently outlined in the Davis Administration’s Blueprint for Change.
“Despite the naysayers, healthcare is on the move and our administration continues to work on behalf of the Bahamian people and position ourselves for a second term in office,” he said.
Dr. Darville pointed out that 80 percent of non-communicable diseases are preventable. With health education, physical activity, nutrition counseling and lifestyle modification, the ministry can achieve better clinical outcomes for patients.
“Under the leadership of our Prime Minister the Honourable Philip Davis, we have turned the economy around. We stabilized public finances, restored economic growth, and created the fiscal space necessary to fund essential services including healthcare,” he said.
Dr. Darville said he intends to offer more details on these two life-changing initiatives: Free medication for patients suffering from chronic non-communicable diseases; and the 50 percent VAT reduction on foods at the grocery store in upcoming weeks, leading up to the 2025-2026 Budget Debate.
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