HEALTH SYSTEMS SERVICE PROFILE OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE

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HEALTH SYSTEMS SERVICE PROFILE OF
THECOMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS
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Overview of The Bahamas

• Population 316,298
• 700 islands and cays
• 29 are populated
• 85 of persons live on the two major islands, New
  Providence and Grand Bahama

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Overview contd

• Life expectancy for females is 76 years and 70
  years for males
• In 2002 The national per capita income was
  B21,531
• Approx. 35 of national recurrent budget is
  allocated to the social sectors.
• The majority of funding for health care is
  provided by the Government of the Bahamas.

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Overview Contd

• The exchange rate of the Bahamian dollar to the
  US dollar is 11
• Tourism and tourism related activities, and
  offshore banking account for over 50 of the GDP
  and 60 of employment.
• Unemployment stands at a rate of 10.8

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Overview Contd

• The Bahamas gained its
• independence in 1973
• Has a 95.7 literacy rate

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Health Systems Overview

• The Ministry of Health (MOH) is
• Responsible for
• Development of health policies
• Planning
• Regulations
• Monitoring Evaluation
• Public health services
• Financing

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Health Systems Overview Contd

• MOH Is managed by an Executive Management team
  which consists of
• The Minister of Health
• The Permanent Secretary
• The Chief Medical Officer

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Health Systems Overview

• The health sector is comprised of four areas of
  services
• The Ministry of Health
• Department of Public Health
• Public Hospitals Authority
• Private Sector

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HEALTH SYSEMS OVERVIEW CONTD

• While the MOH has the oversight for the
  provision of health care, it does so with the
  involvement of the private health sector

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Health Systems Overview Contd

• Except for Grand Bahama, the Department of
  Public Health is responsible for the delivery of
  primary preventative health care, delivered
  throughout the Bahamas at the various government
  owned clinics and health centres

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Health Systems Overview Contd

• The Public Hospitals Authority has
  responsibility for
• The three government hospitals
• National Emergency Medical Programme
• The National Drug Agency
• Materials Management Service

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Health Systems Overview Contd

• There are three public and two private hospitals
  in The Bahamas
• 55 health centres (main clinics)
• 59 satellite clinics
• 286 privately owned health care facilities

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Health Systems Overview Contd

• In the public heath sector, access to health
  care is available regardless of ones ability to
  pay.
• Primary health care is provided free to all civil
  servants, children, pregnant females and persons
  sixty years of age and over
• If necessary private sector services are
  contracted and subsidized by government

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System Challenges

• Archipelagic nature
• Access and equity of health care
• Adequate Human Resources
• Financing

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System Challenges

• Increasing burden of lifestyle related diseases
• Timely and accurate data reporting

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Health System Reform

• Major Health Systems Strengthening Initiatives
• National Health Insurance
• Integrated Public Health Information System
  (IPHIS)
• Healthy Lifestyles Initiative
• Essential Public Health Functions
• Human Resources Strengthening
• National Drug Formulary

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Conclusion

• The Bahamas remains committed in its quest to
  provide quality health care that is affordable
  and accessible to all its citizens.
• Health systems strengthening remains a key
  priority in achieving this goal.