BY CLEMIA NEELYJournal Staff Writer In the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr.Michael Darville, laid the National Health Insurance (Specified Chronic DiseasesPrescription Drug Fund) Bill 2025 which aims to repeal and replace the NationalInsurance (Chronic Disease Prescription Drug Fund) Act Chapter 350A.“Our county needs a Drug Plan to address national concerns over the problemscaused by chronic diseases which affect one in three Bahamians (many with morethan one condition) and limit their length and quality of life, the lack of timelyaccess by patients to essential drugs to manage conditions,” Dr. Darville said, “and the financial burdenfacing patients, families, businesses and government in having to find the resourcesto treat these chronic diseases.“This new bill will help my Ministry with integrating the National PrescriptionDrug Plan into the National Health Insurance Authority, a bold and necessary stepto ensure that every Bahamian can access affordable, high-quality medications totreat chronic diseases,” he said. “This crucial piece of legislation marks asignificant step in our Administration’s overall agenda to transform the lives ofBahamians by ensuring their fundamental right to health and longevity ispreserved.” Dr. Darville stated that our nation is plagued with chronic non-communicablediseases like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Throughadvancement in primary healthcare and work from the National Health InsuranceAuthority, the Ministry is waging war against chronic non-communicable diseasesacross the country.The objectives of the Drug Plan are to improve access to prescription drugs andmedical supplies for use by patients by way of treatments and to prevent these non-communicable diseases by providing funds for health promotion and wellnessprojects in the community.“With the passing and enactment of this new bill, the National Prescription DrugPlan, which currently serves over 41,000 Bahamians, will now beadministered under the National Health Insurance Authority, providing equitable,cost-effective, and standardized care for more than 160,000 beneficiaries across thecountry.” Dr. Darville said. “This integration now means a single access point to wear life-savingmedications to treat chronic non-communicable diseases by way of ourcountry; new national drug formulary will be accessible.”He says that this also means better procurement practices, strategic partnerships,and enhancing the use of digital health tools to track medicine compliance. Thisbill will establish centralized purchasing of prescription drugs, introducestandardized contracts and compliant mechanism for healthcare whilestrengthening the NHIA’s role in national health delivery.