Barbados Health Minister clears air on provision of health services

Apr 19, 2011 News

“The policy of Barbados has always been and continues to be that health care in publicly owned institutions remains free at-point-of-delivery of service to citizens and permanent residents of Barbados only,” Minister of Health of Barbados, Donville Inniss has said.
He however cautioned that this does not mean that visitors and immigrants in Barbados will not have access to health care.
His remarks were forthcoming on Saturday as he sought to defend Barbados existing health policy during a press briefing at the Guyana International Conference Centre.

Minister of Health of Barbados, Donville Inniss

Local Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, had hinted to media reports which suggested that Barbados had modified its health policy during the opening of the 21st Council for Social and Human Development last Friday.
But according to Minister Inniss, “I wish to make abundantly clear that no statement made by myself as Minister of Health in Barbados has in anyway sought to infringe upon the basic rights of any citizen, permanent resident, long term or short term visitor to Barbados.
I know the comments made (about this issue) have now engaged citizens in the Region and unfortunately Barbados continues to be the whipping boy around the place,” Minister Inniss noted.
He said that recent statements emanating from the Health Ministry of Barbados were merely a reminder to those in Barbados and those who may choose to visit Barbados on occasions, that publicly-owned health care institutions will not be providing health care services to non-citizens and to non-permanent residents free of cost.
“There is no new policy. I think we need to make that abundantly clear…Despite comments that I have read in other parts of the Regional media there has in fact been no new legislative arrangement in Barbados to address this issue nor has there been any new policy.”
He however noted that individuals who arrive at the Grantley Adams airport on holiday and are ill, will in fact benefit from emergency services free of cost.  In bringing further clarity to the state of affairs, Minister Inniss said that persons, who are resident in Barbados, whether long term or short, are entitled to emergency care services as well as services related to those who are HIV-positive or have other highly contagious illnesses as defined by the Ministry of Health.
“So there really have not been any new policies; there has just been some clarity brought to the situation. What we may have thrown up certainly is the number of individuals residing in Barbados for prolonged periods who have not had their residency status regularised.
“I have made it clear that that is a matter for the Immigration Department to pronounce on and not the Ministry of Health. If someone comes to a Polyclinic for example and say that ‘I have been living in Barbados for 30 years’ the Ministry of Health has no way of knowing that. So we have simply asked that some clarity be brought to the situation.”