MP Robin Tucker On Medical Tourism Plans
“While local investment and innovation in healthcare are crucial, the timing and focus of the Government’s recent signing of a MOU for the development of a new medical tourism facility raises concern especially in view of the current realities at the hospital and broader issues across our healthcare sector,” Shadow Health Minister Robin Tucker said.
Ms Tucker said, “KEMH faces broad, ongoing challenges, such as insufficient patient beds, staffing shortages, long wait times in the Emergency Department, and patients lined up in the ER hallways. The temporary closure of vital equipment, such as the hyperbaric chamber in February, have raised concern around the hospital’s ability to meet every day healthcare needs.
“If fully realised medical tourism has potential economic benefit for the island, but it is incumbent upon this PLP government to protect the interest of Bermudians to ensure that if this initiative becomes a reality, while delivering premier healthcare services to international patients, that every day Bermudians also have access to these top tier healthcare services and are not relegated to second place their own country.”
