Prime Minister Philip Davis’s Remarks at the Opening of the Rum Cay Community Clinic

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today marks an important step toward our mission to expand access to quality healthcare across our Family Islands.

We gather here to open a building and reaffirm our commitment to delivering timely, dignified and effective healthcare to Bahamians across this country. 

Healthcare is not a privilege. Healthcare is a right. It is a necessity. 

And it is the foundation of any thriving society. 

In 2021, we made a commitment to strengthen our public health care system by ensuring that Bahamians would have both access and choice when it came to their primary care.  

It was an ambitious undertaking. 

It required securing funding for new hospitals and clinics across our archipelago. 

It meant expanding National Health Insurance and improving prescription drug coverage so that cost would not prevent care. 

It meant new clinics on islands that were once neglected, as well as the continued improvement and expansion of many clinics across our islands. 

And now, it requires us to turn our attention to communities that, for far too long, have lived with inadequate care.

Today is a step in the direction of a system that works, a system that sees, values, and cares for families in their time of greatest need.

Thi clinic has been designed to provide comprehensive health services to the people of Rum Cay,

From the moment a patient arrives, the process of care begins. 

From a triage room that allows patients to be assessed quickly and privately, to a treatment and trauma room designed to prioritize privacy and efficiency. 

These are not just features but choices that recognize that good healthcare must be organized, responsive, and above all, compassionate. 

We have also ensured that this clinic is well-equipped to reduce the time between diagnosis and treatment. 

With dedicated spaces for medical records, laboratory services, and a pharmacy, patients will experience a more seamless process.

And, for those who require greater monitoring, the inclusion of overnight rooms ensures that care continues after initial treatment. 

This state-of-the-art clinic is part of a larger commitment. 

It is part of our commitment to leave the healthcare system in a better condition than what we inherited. 

I have seen firsthand the strain that limited access and little to no resources can place on individuals, families, and our healthcare professionals. 

I have seen the concern in the eyes of patients who have had to wait far too long for care. 

I have spoken with healthcare professionals who continue to give their all, often under challenging conditions, because they are committed to service. Their dedication reminds us that while buildings matter, people are the heartbeat of our healthcare system. 

And so, as we invest in facilities, we also invest in the bigger picture; we are investing in infrastructure and resources with a strong emphasis on preventive care. 

Across our country, we continue to confront chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Expanding access to clinics allows us to move closer to a system that does not simply treat illness but actively works to prevent it. 

Clinics like this one allow for earlier intervention through better monitoring and  stronger relationships between patients and community care providers. 

And that is how we will build a healthier Bahamas. 

Hospital by hospital, clinic by clinic, island by island, we are taking steps to expand access to quality healthcare.  We are not where we need to be just yet, but we are taking measurable steps to get there. 

I wish to extend my sincere thanks to Minister Darville and his team, Knowles Construction, and to all those who have worked to bring this clinic to its completion. 

Your efforts are helping to transform lives across this country.

Every island and every community matters to us. And every Bahamian, no matter which part of the country they live in, should have access to quality healthcare.

So today, as we take another step forward in our mission to provide quality healthcare for all, it is my distinct honour to officially open the Rum Cay Community Clinic.