Bahamas News
MOU signed to advance the diagnosis and treatment of gynecological cancer in The Bahamas
#Nassau, April 27, 2019 – Bahamas – The University of West Indies (UWI) School of Clinical Medicine and Research (SCMR) The Bahamas, in conjunction with the University of Miami (UM), Leonard Miller School of Medicine, and the International Gynecological Cancer Society (IGCS) announced a healthcare partnership that is hoped to reverse the “unacceptable” rate of ovarian cancer in The Bahamas.
Dr. Robin Roberts, Director, UWI SCMR announced the official launch of a fellowship training programme between the faculty of Medical Sciences of UWI in The Bahamas at the Princess Margaret Hospital, and the University of Miami during a press conference Thursday, April 25, 2019.
Among those present for the formal announcement of the Memorandum of Understanding was Mary Eiken, CEO, IGCS; Dr. Michael Paidas, Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics, UM; Dr. Brian Slomovitz, Director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology; Dr. Matthew Schlumbrecht, Director for the Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship; Dr. Raleigh Butler, Consultant, Coordinator Gynecologic Oncology Fellowships, UWI SCMR; Dr. Darron Halliday and Dr. Geremias Rangel.
Dr. Roberts said the two-year programme will allow specialists in obstetrics and gynecology to further advance in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers arising in the reproductive organs of women and to become designated gynecological cancer experts.
“Every month in The Bahamas, on average, we bury at least one woman who dies from cancer of the cervix. This should not happen today. In the modern practice of medicine no woman should die from cervical cancer. It’s a totally preventable disease.
“We know too that cancer of the ovary is deadly. We diagnose on average one per month in The Bahamas; almost 75% die from their disease. We know that we can detect this long before it occurs because up to 40% of our women inherit the gene that causes this ovarian cancer. We can prevent these deaths too if we have a genetic screening programme for relatives of women who are diagnosed with this disease,” said Dr. Roberts.
Dr. Roberts described the partnership as a “red letter” day in health in The Bahamas. He said the Fellowship was launched in July 2018 and aims to “reduce” and “eradicate” the burden of female reproductive cancers in “low resource” countries including The Bahamas.
“I would be remiss not to inform that this collaboration between our PMH departments, the Oncology Unit at PMH, the UWI and UM commenced some time ago with the highlight being the discovery of the breast cancer gene mutations in Bahamian women. The research revealed that The Bahamas has the highest occurrence of breast cancer genes in the world,” said Dr. Roberts.
“The collaborative research between our institutions is ongoing; but more importantly this rich collegial environment we have created, fosters direct patient consultation in the daily management and care of our patients and for the transfer of patients between us which lends for continuing and coordinated cancer care.”
In addition to The Bahamas, gynecologists will be stationed and trained in Florida, Canada, Ireland, the University of Miami in Florida, and throughout the Caribbean.
The programme is funded by the International Gynecological Cancer Society and the University of Miami.
Dr. Geremias Rangel, a native of Guyana, is the first Fellow. Dr. Saida Bowe, is the first Bahamian Fellow in the programme and is posted at University of Miami.
Mrs. Eiken said through the partnership, the burden of the disease can be reduced in the region through awareness, highly trained surgical skills, screening, vaccination and other ways.
She said the International Gynecological Cancer Society will provide not only resources and funding but also some of the infrastructure and educational exchanges that will happen as part of the fellowship training and examination to cause a certificate to be issued to the trainee.
Cases will be tracked and information logged in a system.
An oversight committee will monitor the progress of the Fellows ensuring that they are progressing along a designated path to completion.
By Kathryn Campbell
Release: BIS
Photo Captions:
Header: A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the University of West Indies School of Clinical Medicine and Research, The Bahamas; University of Miami Leonard Miller School of Medicine; and the International Gynecological Cancer Society to provide collaborative training to advancethe diagnosis and treatment of gynecological cancer in The Bahamas. The MOU was signed April 25, 2019 at the UWI School of Clinical Medicine and Research, located on the compound of Princess Margaret Hospital. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith)
Insert: Dr. Robin Roberts.
(BIS Photo/Derek Smith)
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor is proud to announce the launch of Monument Beverage Co., its newest 100% locally produced ready-to-drink alcoholic cocktail.
Monument, “Made to Celebrate”, perfectly encapsulates everything the brand represents. Created and distributed by CWS, Monument is
inspired by culture, crafted with excellence and bursting with innovation.
This unique beverage celebrates island living with three bold flavors, Ginger Lime, Peach Passion and Melon Fizz. All of which can be enjoyed at an ABV of five-point-two percent.
The brand’s creativity really shines through each can’s packaging. Bold colored stripes, cherished native flora and fauna and of course, national monuments can all be found on each can.
The beverage’s two year plus development is a testament to CWS’ dedication to quality and innovation. Countless hours of tastings, reformulations, focus groups and package design reviews all paid off with the creation of Monument.
Karla Wells-Lisgaris, Chief Commercial Officer of Caribbean Wines & Spirits and Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, shared what this authentically Bahamian made product launch means for the company.
“When we were conceptualizing Monument, we wanted to create a product that not only tasted like The Bahamas but would be an ode to the
nation as well. With those two thoughts in mind, I, along with a team of experts, created three incredible flavors we believe really connect with and celebrate the essence of island living,” she said.
“Additionally, being that Monument is the first product to be 100% manufactured by Caribbean Wines & Spirits, we really wanted to ensure that both the flavors and packaging honored our rich heritage. On each of the cans, you can find various monuments such as the Nassau Public Library in New Providence, the Garden of the Grove in Grand Bahama and the Hatchet Bay Silos in Eleuthera; all of which pay homage to our diverse Bahamian heritage.” Wells-Lisgaris concluded.”
The historic monuments found throughout our islands are more than places we pass every day; they are reminders of who we are, where we’ve come from and the stories that connect us as Bahamians.
Monument is perfectly formulated with quality ingredients, and each can celebrates a collection of these cultural icons from across The Bahamas.
Whether chilling solo beachside, gathered around a family table or backyard a grill with friends, make Monument your sip of choice. Monument is made to celebrate, visit www.cwsbahamas.com today for more details.
NASSAU, Bahamas —– Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is proud to crown Lady
Kayla of Exuma as this year’s annual Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup winner.
CBC created the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup to further the advancement of sailing and Bahamian culture through monetary and social support. The competition judges the skipper’s performance across three regattas, The Best of the Best, the National Family Island and Long Island Regattas.
The winning sloop led by Kianno Hutchinson and Joss Knowles showcased their skillmanship in the E-Class category across each round of competition. In addition to winning the trophy, the skippers were awarded a $5,000 donation, an $8,000 stipend to the junior sailing club of their island and a limited-edition Lady Kayla Bahamas Goombay Punch commemorative can, which will be released soon.
Jonathan Thronebury, Marketing Director of CBC shared the significance behind The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup.
“The Bahamas Goombay Punch is more than a beloved local brand; it’s a vibrant part of our cultural fabric. Just like sailing, our national sport, it carries a rich legacy that spans generations. Recognizing this shared history, we’re proud to support initiatives that celebrate and advance Bahamian culture,” he said.
Hutchinson and Knowles shared what this win meant for them.
“I felt super proud when I realized we won. I am grateful and thankful to God, for good coaches and Joss. It was really an honor winning the
Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup,” Hutchinson expressed.
“I am very honored to have been able to compete in the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup, I think it is a great concept and idea for a competition and really adds a new motive throughout the regattas. The whole championship was super competitive, and every single race was a fight. Alvington McKenzie was extremely competitive and had us until the Long Island regatta, which made it a very fun and tough competition. Very excited to have been the winner of a super close championship,” Knowles revealed.
Lady Kayla’s owner, Dallas Knowles, shared the team’s winning strategy.
“In sailing consistency is key and our guys in Lady Kayla are some of the best in the business at staying near the top. In the end, that was enough to secure their first Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup win. We are so proud of Joss and Kianno for what they have done in Lady Kayla. Thank you to Caribbean Bottling Company for such an amazing and forward-thinking initiative,” Knowles shared.
The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup is proud to continue its impact on sailing and community building through clean and fair competition.
For more updates on the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup and Caribbean Bottling Company visit the website www.cbcbahamas.com today.
