FNM Chairman: “Princess Margaret Hospital Flooding Should Never Have Happened”

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Videos and photographs shared widely on social media over the weekend showed water flooding sections of the Princess Margaret Hospital newly built emergency department, with staff tying plastic bags around their feet while patients walk through ankle deep water.

Sandbags were also placed at entrances in an effort to keep rising water from spreading further into the facility.

When news of the flooding first broke, reports suggested it was caused by a leaking roof.

However, the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) quickly rejected those claims.

In a statement, the PHA said the flooding resulted from what it described as a quote, “extraordinary volume of water,” collecting outside the building before entering through the ambulance bay doors.

The Authority says the affected areas were cleaned and sanitized, while patients and staff were relocated so healthcare services could continue.

We reached out to chairman of the Free National Movement and current shadow minister of health, Dr. Duane Sands, who is currently out of the country.

While acknowledging the heavy rainfall, Sands says the explanation offered by health officials simply isn’t good enough.

Dr. Duane Sands – Chairman, Free National Movement

“ I think we ought to be very concerned, and you know, the response that came out of PHA and the ministry this morning was, I didn’t think, particularly acceptable.”

However, Sands didn’t stop there, he pointed to larger issues with the country’s public healthcare infrastructure, arguing facilities like Princess Margaret Hospital should be able to withstand severe weather without disrupting patient care.

He also questioned reports that critical services were affected.

Dr. Duane Sands – Chairman, Free Mational Movement

“ I understand that the main operating theaters of Princess Margaret Hospital are down. They’re not available. I understand that the operating rooms at the Rand are down. You now have a situation where the emergency room is taken out of commission.

“You have drugs not available. I mean, when will this administration understand that it’s not about excuses, it’s about getting it right?…”

Meanwhile, as much of the focus has been on patients, Sands says healthcare workers continue to face difficult conditions while trying to provide care.

Dr. Duane Sands – Chairman, Free Mational Movement

“They’ve had to endure periods where there’s no air conditioning, stifling heat. They’ve had to endure a lack of maintenance with challenges with rodents and other creatures.

“They’ve had to endure a whole lot of hardship. Bear in mind that you still have no kitchen at Princess Margaret Hospital. So where are you supposed to get your lunch from? I could go on and on and on.”

Now with the 2026 hurricane season now underway, the flooding has raised new questions about the resilience of the country’s largest public hospital, and whether it can withstand future severe weather events.