(The following is reprinted courtesy of yesterday’s Barbados Nation newspaper)
“ WHEN Caribbean Community Health Ministers assemble in Guyana for a two-day meeting, starting (on Friday morning), they would have the opportunity to face up to an issue of deepening concern to the region’s people. It has to do with a recognised need for a region-wide, common approach for non-nationals with legal status to access prescribed drugs and health care benefits – without discrimination. This problem has been made all the more urgent for objective consideration as a result of cries against discriminatory practices being experienced by non-nationals, with Barbados referenced as a current example as a consequence of its recent introduction of a new “health care reform” policy that excludes a wide category of  CARICOM nationals from access to even free drugs they once received—unless they have citizenship or “permanent residence” status.
This weekend’s 21st  meeting of CARICOM’s Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), will have a special focus on “pressing issues related to the region’s health sector development and sustainability”, according to the Community Secretariat, and with the battle against chronic non-communicable diseases (CNDCs) being a major topic for consideration.
Current chairman of COHSOD, Guyana’s Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy, who will preside over the two-day meeting, is on record as having earlier declared that it would be difficult to “mobilise much needed active cooperation of nationals of CARICOM in the fight against CNDCs—which remains a major and costly headache for our Community, if we do not strive together to achieve a common policy for our nationals to access free medical benefits, wherever possible and without feeling they are being discriminated against as a consequence of either official policy or practices…”
His idea would  meet with approval of St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister, Dr Denzil Douglas, the Community’s Head of Government who has lead responsibility  in CARICOM for Health and Human Resources Development.  Dr Douglas wants to see the Community “prioritise an enlightened common approach in the provision of health care for all nationals of our Community…”
The controversy goes beyond the sensitive issue of excluding non-nationals – even those with immigrant and work permit status. It extends also to the fee structure for medication being provided by the Barbados Drug Service—which affects both nationals and non-nationals but seemingly is a harder blow for non-nationals, irrespective of health problems.
In his “Weekend Nation” column  of April 8, the economist Clyde Mascoll pointed to unjust weaknesses in the fee system introduced by the Ministry of Health, and illustrated why it “does not make any economic sense” nor would it achieve “the designed social equity among users…” 
The  Minister of Health,  Donville Inniss,  reacted with bitterness against the criticisms—without any reference to the arithmetic and general assessment advanced by the columnist.
Instead, Innisss declared that he was “not fazed” by his critics (Sunday Sun April 10) and opted for a personal defensive stance of the policy. He  stressed that he did not care even if it costs him votes at the next general election.
That comment served as a reminder that non-nationals in Barbados, who have legal status could vote at national elections here, pay taxes and honour all identified obligations, but (as of this month) can no longer access, free of cost, prescribed drugs or benefit from medical care, except in emergencies.
Some have already had to pay for even emergency (private) ambulance services to seek medical attention at the state-run Queen Elizabeth Hospital.