• Public Health
  Vaccination
  Poisons
  Vector Control
  Quarantine
  Port Health
  Medical, Nursing and Health Services
  Regulations of Manufacturing of Drugs and Pharmaceuticals
  Control of Dangerous Drugs
  Public Analyst Laboratories
  Relations with the Public Hospitals Authority
  Relations with Hospital Health Care Facilities
  Relations with the Health Care Professionals Board

MISSION

To provide comprehensive primary health care including public health, to all persons regardless of age, sex, colour, creed or ability to pay.

 

BRIEF HISTORY

The Department of Public Health, an Agency of the Ministry of Health is governed under Health Services Act chapter 216. It is managed by an Executive Management Committee consisting of the Director of Public Health, Administrator, Principal Nursing Officer, Director of Oral Health, Coordinator of Programs and assisted by senior managers, doctors, nurses administrative, clerical and support staff.


RESPONSIBILITY
 

The Department of Public Health is responsible for National Disease Surveillance, National Health Programmes Coordination, including;
 

1. Maternal and Child Health
2. School and Adolescent Health
3. Reproductive Health and Family Planning
4. Public Health Nutrition
5. Programme Planning Unit
6. Oral Health Services
7. Family Island health services

SERVICES

In New Providence Primary Health Care is provided at ten (10) Community Health Clinics and one (1) satellite. They are: Ann’s Town, Blue Hill Road, Coconut Grove, Elizabeth Estates, Fleming Street, Flamingo Gardens, Fox Hill, Gambier Clinics, South Beach Health and Adolescent Health Centers, (Adelaide satellite clinic is held once monthly).


The Department is responsible for administration of primary health care services in New Providence and Family Islands. Primary Health Care is defined as the first level of contact between the client and the health care provider. Most clinics offer services such as: Maternal and Child Health Care, Immunization, Gynaecological, Dentistry, Optometry, Audiology, Radiology and Pharmacology.


Primary Health Care is offered through Forty-Three (43) main clinics and Sixty-One (61) satellite clinics in the Family Islands. These clinics extend from Grand Bahama to Inagua. Most of these health facilities are operated by District Medical Officer/Nurse and furnished with medical equipment, supervised by technically trained staff.


A minimal fee is charge for services offered at the clinics. Children, Pensioners, civil servants and others who fall within the exemption category are given health care delivery service free of charge.


 

Public Health Biographies


 

Dr. Carey is overall responsible for Planning, coordinating of Medical and Administrative matters, and budgetary activities at Department of Public Health.


Dr. Carey’s educational background includes: Government High School, Bahamas, The Polytechni, London, England, St. Andrew’s University, Scotland, University of California, Los Angeles and obtained several professional training from Gynaecology, University of Vienna Medical School, Austria.


Dr. Carey is a member of the following: International Planned Parenthood American Fertility Society Fellow in the American College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fellow, Los Angeles Obstetrical and Gynaecology Society.


He held several positions: Assistant Professor, University of California, Chairman, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paramount, California, Charter Medical Director, Women’s Health Care Team California, Vice Chairman, Department of Gynaecology, Women’s Hospital California, Medical Director, Adolescent OB/Gyn services, King Drew Medical Center, California, Chairman, Department of Gynaecology Women’s Hospital, Memorial Medical Center, California, Consultant, Obstetric and Gynaecology, Ministry of Health, Nassau, Bahamas, and currently the Director of Public Health, Bahamas.


Over the years Dr. Carey presented and published several noted articles internationally on Family Planning, Sterilization, Abortion and Teenage pregnancy.
 

Mrs. Rosa Mae Bain
Principal Nursing Officer
Department of Public Health
P.O. Box N-3730
Nassau, Bahamas

Mrs. Bain is overall responsible for planning and coordinating Nursing Activities at Department of Public Health.

The Department of Public Health offers a wide range of services involving Maternal and Child Health, School Health, Adolescent Health, Gerontology, Hospital Liaison, SCAN, HIV/AIDS Research, Non Communicable Disease with emphasis on Prevention, Control of STI, TB Control, Food borne Diseases, Malaria, Hepatitis A and B, and HIV.

She completed 41 years of Nursing with the Ministry, which includes Princess Margaret Hospital, Community Nursing Services-New Providence and Family Islands.

Mrs. Bain also worked as a Field Coordinator of the Anti-Malaria Projects, Supervisor for Community Health Clinics, and Field Coordinator for Anti Pollution Study – Grand Bahama, Field Coordinator of Control of Diarrhoeal Disease Programme, and Field Coordinator Hepatitis A Outbreak.

Mrs. Bain is the Past Coordinator of the AIDS Secretariat.

Awards includes; Ministry of Health – Outstanding Award, Florence Nightingale, International Red Cross Award, Long Service Award, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Award for Health and Government of The Bahamas Silver Coin 25th Anniversary Award.

Mrs. Bain educational background includes – Secondary and Tertiary education, Bahamas School of Nursing – Registered Nurse, South Mead General Hospital, Bristol U.K. – State Registered Nurse, Edgeware Hospital, London U.K. – State Certified Midwife, Bahamas School of Nursing – Community Health Nurse and Nurse Epidemiologist.