Health Minister: We’re Waging War On Noncommunicable Diseases

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Davis administration is moving one step closer to universal healthcare coverage with legislation aimed at lowering the cost of medication for the thousands of Bahamians diagnosed with noncommunicable diseases.

The news came from Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Michael Darville, who told parliament Wednesday morning, that the move will be made possible through the National Health Insurance Specified Chronic Disease Prescription Drug Plan Bill 2025.

The bill will repeal and replace the National Insurance Chronic Disease Prescription Drug Fund.

Dr. Michael Darville – Minister, Health and Wellness

“This new bill will help my ministry with integrating the National Prescription Drug Plan into the National Health Insurance Authority. A bold and necessary step to ensure that every Bahamian can access affordable, high-quality medications to treat chronic diseases,” he said.

Chronic non-communicable diseases aren’t specifically caused by infection, but tend to be long-lasting; they are the leading cause of death and disability globally.

They include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and mental health conditions, among other conditions.

In 2020, Pan American Health Organisation recorded that 74 percent of deaths in The Bahamas were caused by NCDS.

“…My ministry is waging war against chronic noncommunicable diseases across the country.”

“With the passing and enactment of this new bill, the National Prescription Drug Plan, which currently serves over 41,000 Bahamians, will now be administered under the National Health Insurance Authority, providing equitable, cost-effective, standardized care for more than 160,000 beneficiaries across the country,” Darville said.

This move will provide a single access point to where life-saving medications will be accessible to all who need them.

The Health and Wellness Minister expands on the benefits of this stating:

This also means better procurement practices, strategic partnerships, and enhancing the use of digital health tools to track medicine compliance. It will finally align pharmaceutical procurement with bordered governance reform policies,” he said.