[xml][/xml]
The Bahamas Weekly Facebook The Bahamas Weekly Twitter
News : Bahamas Information Services Updates Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM


Recent medical school graduates to help address anticipated physician shortfalls
By Bahamas Information Services
Jun 23, 2016 - 6:39:08 AM

Email this article
 Mobile friendly page

Oath.jpg
Dr. Kevin Carroll led the Graduating Class of 2016 with the Oath during the University of the West Indies School of Clinical Medicine & Research, Bahamas, Induction and Awards Ceremony Monday, June 20, at the Melia, Cable Beach. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)

NASSAU, The Bahamas -- The recent graduation and induction of 24 new Bahamian physicians into the public healthcare workforce will help the Government of The Bahamas to proactively address an anticipated shortfall of physicians within the next 10 years.

The shortfall is expected to occur as a result of the expanding healthcare needs of Bahamians. Local public healthcare officials say the Government has already implemented a number of strategies, or will be introducing new ones in the “coming months,” in order to meet the expanding healthcare needs of Bahamians.

Remarks.jpg
Dr. the Hon. Perry Gomez, Minister of Health, brought remarks during the University of the West Indies School of Clinical Medicine Induction and Awards Ceremony Graduating class of 2016 at the Melia Nassau Beach, Monday, June 20. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)

The implementation of Universal Health Coverage, through National Health Insurance, will be a key cog in the wheel driving that push.

“In order to meet the expanding healthcare needs in The Bahamas, inclusive of services in New Providence and the Family Islands, continued investment must occur not only to strengthen the workforce capacity of the faculty, but the delivery of services at the primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare levels,” Minister of Health Dr. the Hon. Michael Perry Gomez said.

“These graduates will now join other healthcare professionals at the critical, yet strategic period in the history of healthcare in The Bahamas as we continue to expand and implement the Development Agenda of the Government of The Bahamas,” Dr. Gomez added.

Present_1.jpg
Dr. Kevin Carroll was presented with the Most Outstanding Student from Professor Sir Errol Walrond during the University of the West Indies School of Clinical Medicine Induction and Awards Ceremony Graduating class of 2016, Monday, June 20, at the Melia Nassau Beach. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)

Addressing the Induction and Awards Ceremony for the Graduating Class of 2016 Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Degree Programmes of the University of the West Indies School of Medicine and Research, Bahamas, Dr. Gomez said the Government - through the Ministry of Health and the Department of Public Health - has implemented, and will implement several new strategies aimed at increasing the number of Under and Post-Graduate medical students “over the coming months”.

These initiatives will include an increase in the training of physicians in Emergency Medicine to ensure that one Emergency Room physician is deployed to each Emergency Room at each Polyclinic in New Providence and the Family Islands.

This initiative is expected to have the benefit of reducing referrals to hospital for non-urgent medical care. Plans also call for increasing the number of Primary Healthcare specialists at the community level that should result in a reduction in the incidences of secondary complications while strengthening the skills of healthcare providers.

Public healthcare officials say there will be a full implementation of an Assimilation Centre where clinical and surgical skills are strengthened. The implementation will take place within the next two years and will provide for safe, quality healthcare service through a reduction in errors.

The drawing board also calls for an expansion of the capacity of the faculty through the hiring of a full-time lecturer to increase the number of Family Medicine-Trained physicians to 10 per annum over the next five-eight years.

“This investment will provide for at least one trained Family Medicine Physician for each of the clinics in New Providence and the major Family Islands,” Dr. Gomez said. “We presently have two Family medicine-Trained physicians in Exuma, one in Abaco, Bimini and San Salvador.”

Dr. Gomez said the moves are all part of the Government’s push towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all Bahamians through National Health Insurance (NHI). UHC calls for the further strengthening/expansion of the public healthcare infrastructure, its programmes, workforce and services.

A study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), indicates that catastrophic medical bills force between 100-150million persons below the poverty line every year.

“We therefore look forward to the implementation of National Health Insurance to be in symbiosis with the vision of the school where medical education becomes a part of the institutional strengthening, as the school seeks to advance the physician human resource needs for Universal Health Coverage,” Dr. Gomez added.

The Health Minister said the establishment of the University of the West Indies Campus in New providence is one of the “best national investments made in strengthening the healthcare workforce” based upon results achieved so far.

“The University of the West Indies Faculty of Medical Sciences is the Medical School of choice for Bahamians seeking careers in the practice of medicine. I note that over 50 per cent of the graduates of both specialists and non-specialists trained physicians continue to be employed in the public healthcare sector.”

Dr. Gomez said the Government is “well on its way” to meeting the national needs of The Bahamas with its first cohort of Family Medicine Specialists in the Government Clinics and the Family Islands.

He said a long-term effort is required to rebuild the public health workforce. This will require major support from national, and a wide variety of international agencies.

“A strengthened public health workforce will be in a better position to ensure that the evidence of the effectiveness of health interventions and the new resources coming into the healthcare sector, will lead to improvement of the health of all populations,” Dr. Gomez added.

Bookmark and Share




© Copyright 2016 by thebahamasweekly.com

Top of Page

Receive our Top Stories



Preview | Powered by CommandBlast

Bahamas Information Services Updates
Latest Headlines
Junkanoo Summer Festival Is Back, Bigger and Better
ZNS Celebrates 86th Anniversary with Church Service
Doctoral degree posthumously conferred to Hon. A.D. Hanna by University of The Bahamas
Select Jif Peanut Butter Products Recall - Update
Dr. Rodney Smith confers final degrees as President and CEO of UB: asks graduates to take the next step with an open mind