Princess Margaret Hospital, Nassau

Originally, called the Bahamas General Hospital, the cornerstone for the new hospital was laid by Governor Robert Neville in March 1952.^[3] The hospital became operational in May 1953, when the first patients were transferred from the old Prospect Hospital.^[3][4] The first baby was born at PMH on 21 May 1953.^[3]

The hospital was renamed in 1955 to honour a visit by Princess Margaret,^[3][5] sister of Queen Elizabeth II and at the time third in line to the throne. It was the first hospital to be named in her honour.^[3] Princess Margaret visited the hospital on 28 February 1955 during the last stop of her tour of the British West Indies.^[3] A ceremony unveiling the new name was held that day.^[3] The hospital's Eye Wing was completed and opened between 1960 and 1961.^[6]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in the Bahamas, Princess Margaret Hospital was placed under pressure due to a lack of bed and morgue space. As a result, they had to use tents outside for intensive care patients as well as hiring a refrigerated container for unclaimed dead bodies that could not fit in the morgue.^[7] The Public Hospital Authority appealed to Bahamans not to come to the hospital and to use local community clinics in the meantime.^[7]

The hospital has approximately 405 beds, spread across adult, pediatric, and neonatal units.^[8] It also functions as a teaching hospital, supporting the training of healthcare professionals in the country.^[8]