Sands: This Is A Very Challenging Time

As 50 nurses from Cuba arrived in the country, former Health Minister Dr. Duane Sands painted a grim picture of the state of the healthcare system due to a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

The growing number of healthcare workers either in isolation or quarantine due to Covid-19 is causing significant strain at the country’s hospitals, according to Former Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands, who says hospitals can no longer manage as many patients as they once did.

Sands said this is a very challenging time for the healthcare system as both the public and private sectors saw an exodus of healthcare workers.

The daily covid count has been in the triple digits for the last two weeks. The Bahamas saw a major surge in Covid-19 cases in late December, but the number of individuals admitted to hospital with covid related illnesses remained low. However, circumstances changed in recent weeks as hospitalized cases gradually increased.

As of January 12th, 119 individuals were hospitalized with Covid-19, 74 of them at Princess Margaret Hospital. However, the former health minister said both Covid and not Covid related patients are forced to pay the price.

He said frontline workers are exhausted, and warned against trivializing the role of frontline workers as their patience is wearing thin. This comment came on the heels of remark made earlier this week by Health Minister Dr. Michael Darville as he stated as many as 180 public healthcare workers are in either in isolation or quarantine. As such, 50 nurses from Cuba arrived in the country today to aid in the Covid fight.