Bridgetown.
Minister of Health Donville Inniss, says he is pushing on with reforming the health care system in Barbados, even if it cost him votes at the next general election.
Inniss comments came against the background of continuing public debate over the inability of non-nationals to access free health care, as well as recently introduced changes to the Barbados Drug Service.
According to Inniss, his ministry should not be blamed if there are non-nationals who have been living in Barbados for over 20 years but did not have status and were not eligible for free health care.
"This is an immigration issue, not a health issue, there are some non nationals who have Barbados identification cards, that does not mean they qualify to access health care as a Barbadian would", says Inniss.
"Health care in Barbados is not as free as some people think. It may be the best in the Caribbean, but currently it is costing taxpayers more than $400 million a year, I have been asked to reveiw the system and I am doing just that for the benefit of
everyone now and in the future", he added.
