PEOPLE IN BARBADOS who are neither citizens nor permanent residents should never have been receiving medication without charge from the National Drug Service.
This has been made clear by Minister of Health Donville Inniss who said yesterday that this position did not mean government was “uncaring”.
Inniss, who was a special guests for part of the Down to Brass tacks radio call-in programme on Starcom 92.9 FM radio, was responding to recent comments made on Down to Brass tacks that people who are not citizens or permanent residents but have been paying National Insurance are now being asked to pay for drugs.
“What we’re saying in the Ministry of Health is that we have to go beyond just saying what the policy is . . . it is also a matter of helping the officers to identify who is legitimately entitled to free health care here, which includes medication and therefore we say, if your ID card does not explicitly state that you are a citizen of Barbados we ask you to provide proof that you are a permanent resident or a citizen,” he added.
The Minister of Health also noted that there was nothing unusual about people who were not citizens or permanent residents now being made to pay for drugs, pointing out that the policy was always in place, but it was not being properly enforced.
He said: “Let me say that the polyclinic system is not equipped nor structured to charge people who visit and therefore we insisted that those who do not meet the qualifications as citizens or permanent residents shall be advised to seek care in the private sector.”
To help resolve some of the problems, Inniss urged people to have their immigration status regularised, especially if they are married to a Barbadian or have been living and working in Barbados for a number of years.
He also spoke of efforts by his ministry to cut out duplication and wastage. (PR)
