Eleuthera currently has one medical doctor in the public health network, according to officials meeting during a Disaster Preparedness meeting scheduled to begin readiness in the event that Hurricane Matthew does as forecasters project and turns towards The Bahamas, inclusive of Eleuthera. That doctor is Dr. Smith, who is based at the Public Clinic in Rock Sound, 35 -40 mins. from Governor’s Harbour and about 1.5 hrs. from Gregory Town.
Local health officials, during the meeting in Central Eleuthera on Friday, September 30th, 2016, confirmed that Dr. John Mensah, who had served in The Bahamas for the past twenty years, and was most recently based in Central Eleuthera, is no longer serving on the island. Dr. Caponi who had been based in the north, serving North Eleuthera, Harbour Island and Spanish Wells is also no longer serving that area.
November 1st, 2016, is said to be the earliest date that a new doctor will arrive on island to service the Central Eleuthera area. A doctor out of New Providence is also scheduled to be temporarily stationed in Harbour Island, as of Tuesday, October 4th, 2016 for fourteen days.
With concerns expressed about the status of health services in The Eleutheras, attendees were informed that despite being short of doctors during the next month, the island was staffed with a good compliment of professional registered nurses and nurse practitioners, skilled in emergency services, midwifery, community nursing and other critical areas.
