Minister of Health and Wellness, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville outlined significant developments aimed at enhancing healthcare services in Grand Bahama and throughout The Bahamas during the 2026/27 Budget Debate.
“We are moving expeditiously to complete the morgue facility and to complete the services for our pathology department at the Rand Memorial Hospital,” said Minister Darville.
He also provided an update on the new Freeport Health Campus, noting that construction of Phases 1A and 1B remain on schedule for completion by April 2027.
Additionally, work is expected to be completed this year on the multi-storey tower currently under construction at the site.
Minister Darville stated, “Many of the services that currently existed at the Rand Memorial Hospital will be transferred to that facility as we make way for converting the Rand Memorial Hospital into a geriatric and psychiatric facility.”
According to the minister, an additional 20,000 to 30,000 square feet in the basement area of the facility was acquired and that additional space can be utilised for disaster response operations and medical training.
Minister Darville said training programmes are already underway to prepare healthcare professionals for deployment to the new facility. Clinical nurses in Grand Bahama are receiving specialised training, while new nursing programmes at the University of The Bahamas will complement the existing midwife programme.
Additional emphasis is being placed on emergency care training, the expansion of the Public Hospitals Authority Academy and partnerships with regional and international institutions to strengthen the country’s healthcare workforce being offered free of charge to Bahamians.
Minister Darville said the completion of the Freeport Health Campus will position The Bahamas to expand its medical footprint throughout the Caribbean. He expressed that the facility will enhance healthcare delivery, support the education and development of healthcare professionals and create opportunities to expand specialised medical services throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
