Free National Movement Leader Hubert Ingraham yesterday expressed alarm at reports that all government hospitals and clinics are short of important immunization medications for infants and young children.
“Reliable sources indicate that at least one cause for the shortage is the result of a mix-up by suppliers who mistaken froze the Bahamas’ account having confused it with the delinquent account of another country,” Minister Ingraham said in a two-page press release. “Assuming this to be the case, it is inexcusable that a financial mix-up could take so long to resolve so as to put the health of Bahamians children in jeopardy.”
Mr Ingraham noted that the dramatic rise in infant mortality over the past four years would appear to be the result of more than a single incident of a frozen account with suppliers.
“One of the results of this development is that the tremendous success achieved during the FNM administration ﾖ reducing infant mortality from more than 24 per thousand live births to 12 per thousand is being reversed,” he added.
“Already the infant mortality rate has increased to 19 per thousand ﾖa testament to the incompetence and lack of focus by the Government in addressing essential health needs of the children of the nation.”
Mr Ingraham pointed out that over the past week there has been an epidemic of mumps spreading through the American Midwestern states with no sign of letting up.
“As all will be aware, the principal market for tourists visiting The Bahamas is the United States of America. Mumps is an easily transmitted disease between humans
“At the same time, the Bahamas public health system is without or dangerously low on the critical MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) vaccine administered to one and five-year-old infants and children.
“Further, the system is also reportedly out of or severely short of the vaccine usually administered to children at 2,4,6 and 18 months to protect against tetanus and diphtheria, among other childhood diseases.
“If information coming to our attention is accurate, and we have good reason to believe it is, The Bahamas is facing a public health emergency and the Government’s silence on the matter is irresponsible, indeed negligent.
“It is difficult to accept that the Government would not have moved in a timely fashion to ensure safe supplies of essential vaccines so central to the health and welfare of our children.
“The Government has let the ball drop and as a result Bahamian parents, especially low income Bahamian parents who rely completely on the public health system to meet the needs of their children, will be negatively affected.
“The FNM Government never lost sight of the fact that the children of our nation deserved and were entitled to the first call on the resources of the nation. Clearly this is another area in which the FNM was different, distinctly different from the present government.
“It is basic but fundamental and vital responsibility of our government to provide adequate health care and educational opportunity for all Bahamian children.
“Towards this end, the FNM Government aggressively pursued the improvement of many services directly related to the health of infants and children. That progress is now in danger.”
Mr Ingraham is urging the government, and most particularly the new minister responsible for Health, to do everything possible to obtain the important vaccines as a matter of urgency.
By: KEVA LIGHTBOURNE, The Nassau Guardian
