Hon. Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness

Dr. Julio Sabido, CEO, Ministry of Health and Wellness

Dr. Jorge Polanco, Director, Western Regional Medical Center

Marisol Amaya, Reporter, Amandala Press

July 25, 2024

Dear Sirs/Madam,

My name is Dr. Glenda Lovell, and I am an internist working for a large HMO in the United States for the last 25 years. I have worked both in the hospital and in the clinic caring for patients who are acutely ill. I attended University of California medical school and also trained at that facility. I am also the younger sister of Jennifer Lovell, a patient who expired last month due to the negligent care of physicians at Western Regional Medical Center.

Jennifer was brought to the hospital on the evening of June 27, disoriented and in acute respiratory failure; her oxygen saturations were in the 80’s. Standard of care for patients in respiratory failure is to diagnose and treat expeditiously. Jennifer was in extremis and should have been admitted to the ICU, and treatment and diagnostic procedures should have been initiated. Instead, a few labs were drawn, a chest x-ray was done, and oxygen was administered. She was never ruled out for a myocardial infarction or a pulmonary embolus, which should have been at the top of any competent physician’s diagnostic concern. A few hours later, after her saturations had improved, she was discharged from the hospital with NO reason found for her profound respiratory failure!!

Jennifer did not have asthma or COPD, was not on drugs, and had never smoked in her life. Any competent physician would have questioned WHY she was in respiratory failure and admitted her for further diagnostic procedures and treatment. Instead, she was discharged into the care of one I.C.

Ms. C. called back to the hospital 15 minutes after discharge to state that Jennifer was weak and that her oxygen levels were now in the 70’s!!! Ms. C. was advised to bring the patient back to the hospital, but she never did; and the next morning, a dead body was brought back to the hospital for pronouncement.

My sister was a Belizean icon who gave her time and talents to the people of Belize. It is sad and horrifying that she was treated this way, and I would like to know that this kind of behavior will not stand without consequences.

I would like answers to the following questions:

1. WHY was Jennifer discharged without a proper diagnosis for her profound respiratory failure?
2. WHY did the hospital not immediately send an ambulance to get my sister when they were informed that her saturations were in the 70’s?
3. WHY was her family not informed that Jennifer was severely ill and likely dying?
4. Most importantly, the family would like to know WHY Ms. C. did not immediately return Jennifer to the hospital. She is supposedly a health care provider and should know that oxygen saturations in the 70s are not compatible with life. WHY DID SHE NOT RETURN MY SISTER TO THE HOSPITAL???

I demand a full investigation into the egregious negligence that befell my sister, and would like the physicians who perpetrated this malpractice to be disciplined. I would also like Ms. C., a supposed nurse, to be disciplined for allowing my sister to die on her watch instead of taking her back to the hospital, where she could have received some assistance.

I would like a response from you in the next 30 days or will be seeking legal counsel.

Respectfully yours,
Glenda Lovell, MD
95 Cemetery Road
Belize City, Belize
227-2101

(AMANDALA Ed. Note: In a telephone conversation with AMANDALA today, Wednesday, September 4, 2024, Dr. Glenda Lovell said that she has not received a response from any of the Ministry of Health officials to whom her letter was addressed. She also expressed her concern about the treatment of other patients of lesser social stature than Jenny, who was an icon in the Belizean community. We have opted to withhold the name of the healthcare provider.)