Bahamas

Country reports presented at Tropical Community Healthcare and Research 2015, at Khon Kaen University, Thailand on 8th July 2015 by members of 13 countries.

1. The Islands of The Bahamas Archipelago: 700 islands and 2,400 cays &rocks. Only 30 islands are inhabited. Measures: 13,878km spreading across 259,000km Capital is New Providence (Nassau).

2. CLIMATIC FEATURES Tropical and subtropical climate Dry & wet Winter season: 60F – 75F Summer season:78F – 90F Humidity high (especially in summer months) Wind speed 10 knots (predominately all year round). Hurricane: June - November

3. HISTORY ‘Discovered’ : Christopher Columbus 1492. Ruled under British Loyalist from 1718- 1973.

4. Total population: Approximately 400,000 people. Making it 177 th most populous country in the world. Most of population in capital Nassau of 260, 000 persons. Life expectancy: males 60 years old females 72 years old

5. Ethnic groups : 85% Blacks 12% Whites; 3% Hispanic Cultures : Bahamians Haitians, Jamaicans,Indians , Chinese, Philippines, others . Language: English sometimes use of Bahamian dialect.

6. Religious denominations Anglican Baptist Catholic

7. Striving for Excellence!!!!

8. salt aragonite

9. ECONOMICS Main Industries: Banking: GDP 20% Tourism: GDP 60% Export: 10% Other: 10% Currency: USD 1:1 GDP per capita: $20,113.80 VAT 7.5%

10. JUNKANOO Junkanoo : Bahamian festival Boxing Day: December 26st New Year Day: January 1 st Large group competition: *music *dance *customs

11. HEALTH IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS VISION : Optimal level of health and well-being of all residents in The Bahamas. MISSION : To ensure the best quality of services for health promotion, health protection and healthcare is accessible to all residents in The Bahamas in order for them to achieve optimal level of health. AREAS OF RESPONSILITY Primary healthcare Secondary healthcare Tertiary healthcare

12. Healthcare in The Bahamas Three functional government hospitals: *Princess Margaret Hospital Nassau *Rand Memorial – Grand Bahama *Sandilands Rehabilitation & Geriatric Hospital- Nassau Two private hospital: Doctor’s Hospital – Nassau Lyford Cay Hospital - Nassau

13. Public Clinic in The Bahamas There are 200 plus public community clinics throughout The Bahamas. Offers: Ambulatory services Laboratory services Pharmacy services Specialty services

14. Medical Services Laboratory Pharmacies Diagnostic Imaging Hospices Counseling Centers Specialty Units: dialysis heart others Rehabilitation Transportation: EMS Air Ambulance Charter Services

15. Health Services Surgical Medical Emergency Dental Ophthalmology Obstetrics Gynecological Pediatrics Community Psychiatry Antenatal Cardiology Endocrinology Others

16. Bahamas Health Initiatives The Ministry of Health has decided to implement an even more holistic approach to helping residents adopt and sustain healthy lifestyles, in order to continue to meet the country’s health needs . The Initiative is founded on a well grounded population health approach, and uses collaboration and community team building to foster its aims and objectives. The Healthy Lifestyle Secretariat was established, November 2005 to provide administrative coordination of the activities of the Initiative.

17. OBJECTIVES To reduce prevalence of smoking, physical inactivity and unhealthy eating. To carry out health promotion and education around the above. To lobby for the institutionalization of healthy lifestyle practices in work and organization settings. To implement monitoring and evaluation of healthy lifestyle programming nationally. To support research on behavior modification in the area of health.  To provide policy from a Governmental and Ministry level that supports healthy lifestyles nationally.

18. Leading causes of Hospitalizations Cardiovascular diseases Strokes Diabetes Respiratory infections & diseases Cancers Pregnancy & childbirth Injuries Poisoning Accidents Musculoskeletal diseases Endocrine, metabolic & nutritional diseases. Renal disease Genitourinary diseases

19. National Health Insurance Bahamian healthcare spending today at almost 10 per cent of our $8 billion GDP. That represents some $800 million in total annual spending - including public and private as well as overseas health spending. The private sector accounts for about half of this money, experts say . Recommendations: Expected January 1, 2016 Bahamas will adopt a financing system called national health insurance, which pools payments from all residents to pay for universal healthcare. Individuals could still buy private insurance to cover areas ineligible for reimbursement by the public system. 

20. National Health Insurance: 2016