Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis’ announcement of a general election on Sept. 16 has distressed senior doctors who along with other medical workers have shouldered the burden of a COVID-19 induced near-collapse of the nation’s health care systems, The Tribune, one of The Bahamas’ leading newspapers, reported Friday.
Dr. Sabriquet Pinder-Butler, president of the Consultant Physicians Staff Association, said not only was the news ill-timed, but it was “troubling” because both private and public facilities were already overwhelmed.
She said it was extremely “frightening” to come to grips with what now looks like an inevitable skyrocketing of COVID-19 cases in the lead up to Election Day on Sept.16.
Before Pinder-Butler’s fears were laid bare, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pearl McMillan told reporters that officials were hoping that people followed measures put in place to safeguard against contracting the virus.
“We would have to take into consideration those measures in order for us to keep the people safe and to keep safe as we do what is required for the country,” McMillan said before the arrival of more than 38,000 Johnson & Johnson doses of the vaccine. “So, I anticipate that public health measures will continue to be followed.”
Still, knowing all that election seasons usually entails, the CPSA president said healthcare providers were gravely concerned.
