DLP welcomes organ tissue bill but raises concerns over e-prescription system

The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has welcomed the passage of the Human Organ Tissue Bill while warning that failures in the island’s electronic prescription system are already putting vulnerable patients at risk, calling for urgent government action alongside strong safeguards to build public trust in the new law.

But the opposition party has paired its optimism with an urgent call for robust patient protections and a swift resolution to ongoing technical issues plaguing the country’s electronic prescription system.

In a statement released on Friday, DLP spokesperson on health Felicia Dujon acknowledged the legislative milestone, noting that it could mark a transformative chapter for healthcare delivery in Barbados.

“The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) acknowledges the passage of the Human Organ Tissue Bill in Parliament and recognises its potential to modernise Barbados’ legislative framework governing organ and tissue donation and transplantation,” Dujon said. “If effectively implemented, the legislation has the capacity to save lives, expand access to organ transplantation, and strengthen the country’s healthcare system.”

The opposition expressed strong support for the newly established legal parameters designed to govern the complex ethical landscape of organ procurement.

According to Dujon, the DLP welcomes the creation of a formal structure to regulate the “donation, retrieval, storage, and transplantation of human organs and tissues, as well as the emphasis on ethical medical practice and accountability”.

Despite its endorsement of the bill’s core objectives, the DLP warned that the legislation’s ultimate success hinges entirely on public trust and administrative transparency. The party stressed that the government must launch comprehensive public education campaigns to demystify the donation process for ordinary Barbadians.

Dujon emphasised that maintaining public confidence requires total clarity regarding individual rights and system safeguards:

“At the same time, the DLP believes that the successful implementation of the legislation will depend on maintaining public confidence through comprehensive public education and strong oversight. Public awareness campaigns should ensure that Barbadians fully understand the consent process, their rights under the legislation, and the safeguards in place.”

The party further asserted that transparent governance, regular oversight and clear accountability mechanisms will be essential to sustaining long-term faith in the nation’s organ donation network.

Shifting focus to operational failures within the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and wider public clinics, the DLP used the platform to highlight a growing crisis surrounding the island’s digital health infrastructure.

Dujon said the party has been inundated with complaints from citizens experiencing severe delays and system bottlenecks due to the recently introduced electronic prescription system, with the fallout disproportionately affecting senior citizens and the chronically ill.

“While digital transformation offers significant opportunities to improve efficiency, the Party has received concerns from members of the public regarding delays and difficulties experienced by some patients, particularly elderly persons, when attempting to fill electronically issued prescriptions.”

She warned that these digital disruptions carry dangerous, real-world consequences for vulnerable patients who rely on strict, uninterrupted medication regimes.

“Individuals living with chronic illnesses often depend on uninterrupted access to medication, and delays in obtaining prescribed treatment may increase the risk of preventable complications, emergency hospital admissions, and adverse health outcomes.”

While reiterating that the DLP remains fully supportive of progressive healthcare reforms, Dujon said passing laws is only part of the process, arguing that true reform requires operational effectiveness and a sustained focus on patient wellbeing:

“The DLP supports healthcare reforms that improve patient outcomes and strengthen our national healthcare system. The Human Organ Tissue Bill is a positive step in that direction. However, successful healthcare reform extends beyond the passage of legislation.”

The opposition is now calling for immediate government intervention to rectify the electronic prescription glitches before further harm is done.

“It requires effective implementation, public confidence, and systems that place patients first. We also urge the government to address the operational challenges associated with the electronic prescription system to ensure that elderly persons and other vulnerable patients are not exposed to unnecessary delays in accessing essential medication. Healthcare innovation must always enhance accessibility, safety, and quality of care.”

Dujon urged the government to establish rigorous, ongoing evaluations for both the new transplant framework and the digital prescription rollout. The DLP said the ultimate measure of success for these initiatives must be the tangible protection of the “health, dignity, and well-being of all Barbadians”.

(RR)