Wednesday, April 10th, 2024
When some of us were growing up throughout our country of Belize, the
Healthcare System was comprised of a Hospital, Public Health Clinic and
a Mobile Rural Health Team. When a person got sick, he or she was taken
to the Emergency Room to see a doctor. When the doctor evaluated the
patient, he or she would decide on whether to admit the patient or to
send him or her home with medication and give them a follow-up
appointment. If the patient was admitted to the hospital, the doctor
would give the patient or his family member the reason for the
admission. Not too much has changed, except for the type of healthcare
we are receiving in Belize. today.
Hospitals
In those days, Belize City Hospital had the best equipment and doctors, so
most doctors from the other districts would send their patients to the
Belize City Hospital if they felt that their patients needed additional
treatment. The Belize City Hospital was divided into different wards at the
time, and they were designed based on the patients’ illness and condition.
The people from the other districts in Belize felt that whenever a patient
was sent to Belize City, it was because his or her condition was not good.
Many of our citizens travelled back and forth to Belize City to visit our
family members. This is still happening today, because some of the
hospitals in the other districts do not have some of the medical equipment,
doctors and specialists to do the testing, diagnosis and treatment.
No dialysis machine in the south
I was told recently that for years the hospital in Dangriga had a dialysis
machine, but it was removed and taken to a hospital in the northern part
of Belize. Currently, the Southern Regional Hospital in Dangriga, that
serves the Toledo and Stann Creek Districts, does not have a dialysis
machine. There are many citizens in the south who suffer from diabetes
and are in need of this machine to get their regular treatment. Those
people who have the money traffic back and forth to Belize City to get their
treatment at a high cost; while those who cannot afford the cost of the
travel and the treatment, stay in the south, which results in their condition
getting worse.
Public Health Clinic
The Public Health Clinics in Belize were used to provide Preventive Care
and After Care to our citizens. I remember when all the schools in
Dangriga would take their students to the Public Health Clinic to receive
their vaccinations and receive dental treatment. The Public Health Clinic
Building by the beach is now sitting there with no activity taking place.
Rural Health Nurse and Mobile Team
There was a Rural Health Nurse assigned to the Dangriga Hospital and the
other hospitals in the country. The Rural Health Nurse’s responsibility
was to go in a vehicle to all the villages and provide healthcare and medical
referrals to the citizens of the villages. If the nurse felt that a patient
needed immediate care, that patient would be brought back with them to
the district hospital.
Belize hospitals today
Over the years, the country of Belize has seen a growth in its population
and a demand for medical services, especially from Americans, Belizean-
Americans and Belizean citizens who want quality medical care. Most of
these people have money to pay for their care, or have medical insurance
to cover the cost of their care.
This has led to the establishment of private hospitals and medical
institutions like Belize Healthcare Partners, St. Luke Hospital, Belize
Medical Associates, Buttonwood Bay Medical Center and other private
clinics. There are no laws in Belize to regulate the cost of these hospitals’
treatment, and their prices keep going up. The average Belizean citizen
cannot afford the cost of their treatment.
My views on mental illness
In the past, and even up to today, many Belizeans look down at their fellow
citizens with mental illness. Little do they realize that it is just an illness
like many other diseases, and that these patients need to be treated. Some
Belizeans, including some police officers, have been abusing our citizens
with this disease, and no action is taken against them.
I believe that it is time for the Government of Belize to establish a
Psychiatry Department in all their hospitals to ensure that our citizens
with mental illnesses be given the protection and care that they deserve.
Mental patients who pose a threat to themselves, family and the public at
large, should be in the hospitals until it is determined that they pose no
threat. This will reduce the amount of people with mental illness walking
the streets in our country and getting abused or abusing our citizens.
Health insurance a necessity
Many countries in the world depend on health insurance to pay for the
treatment of their citizens. There are several Belizean-American citizens
who want to go back home and live, but the type of medical treatment in
Belize and the insurance are the two main issues that are stopping them
from returning home. There are a few American insurance companies that
provide worldwide coverage for their citizens, such as Cigna Global,
Bupa/IHI and International Medical Group. The Government of Belize
should grant these companies license to sell their medical insurance in
Belize. This will encourage Belizean-Americans to sign up with these
companies and it will create jobs and revenues for our Belizean citizens.
They should also encourage more insurance companies in Belize and
abroad to provide health insurance to make it competitive.
Possible solutions
For Belizeans who are uninsured, the Government of Belize should
consider passing a National Insurance Act (NIA). The laws will ensure that
the Government and businesses will provide Health Insurance to all their
employees for a reasonable and affordable monthly deductible. This will
generate revenues for the Government to maintain the cost of their staff,
hospitals and clinics. People who own their businesses and independent
contractors should be allowed to purchase health insurance in this pool as
well. The funds for this insurance must only be used for its intended
purpose by the Government and for nothing else. They should also include
criminal penalties for the unauthorized use of these public funds. This will
help to prevent a person from using the funds unlawfully. There have been
reports of people in other countries embezzling these types of funds. We
want to prohibit the same to happen in our country.
Medical Technology Specialists and Technicians
When speaking to many of our Belizean citizens, it is being brought to my
attention on several occasions, that our Government needs to improve our
hospitals and clinics with modern medical technology equipment,
specialists and technicians in order to achieve quality care for our citizens.
If not, some of our citizens will not be diagnosed, be given the wrong
diagnosis, wrong treatment or become victims of untimely deaths. This is
an issue that is a major concern for many of our citizens.
Conclusion
It is difficult for a patient or his family member to comprehend that a
relative or friend is suffering from Stage-4 Cancer or another chronic
disease, when all along he or she was seeing his or her doctor and it was
never detected or told to them.
This is considered gross negligence on the part of the hospitals, doctors
and staff. It is painful to visit a loved one in the hospital lying in bed
helpless, pondering his or her fate. I am a strong believer that our
Government and citizens can all come together to improve our medical
situation in our beloved country, Belize, for all of our citizens to receive
quality care and not just some.
