Belize Healthcare Partners (BHP – formerly Universal Health Services) was back in the news this week, with reports that the Government of Belize was being given until October 10 to sign on to a long-term commitment with the private hospital for continued dialysis services for roughly 20 patients.
In April, the administration of Prime Minister Dean Barrow had announced that it had discontinued regular payments to the hospital, towards a $300,000 revolving contract signed by his forerunner, Said Musa.
This morning PM Barrow told Amandala that, “As far as I know, all the dialysis patients are in fact having their treatment continued.”
According to Barrow, BHP came to the table and agreed to take down their charges some, but the Ministry has clearly not given up on the option of pursuing cheaper prices elsewhere, as well as purchasing its own machines for public hospitals such as the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.
The controversy also resurrected discussion on the ownership of BHP (UHS) and the fact that still in private hands are US$10 million given by Taiwan to the Government of Belize, “…for use generally in solving the needs of the healthcare system of the country,” according to Barrow’s March 17th statement.
Barrow’s government managed to recover the other US$10 million from the Belize Bank for the Venezuelan grant to Belize, but the other half of the money has stayed in the hands of those who cut the UHS deal.
“Remember that under the way the last government did it, these people set up this trust that they say basically is for the benefit for the people of Belize – the same argument Michael Ashcroft makes with respect to BTL – but the government doesn’t have a representative on the board of trustees,” said Prime Minister Barrow.
Barrow added that the people controlling the hospital had told the Government they would “give” the government minority shares in UHS, but that position did not sit well with them, because it would still leave Government without any real power.
“Quite honestly, the Taiwanese US$10 million is not money I see us being able to recover,” Barrow told Amandala. “That had been made fairly clear from the start.”
He said that with that money, the players knew what was going on, unlike the Venezuelan money where the authorities there had given the US$10 million for housing for the poor.
“I don’t see how a claim can be made on the shares. That money went directly to the Belize Bank as consideration for the deal …I have not seen anything legally that suggests we will get anywhere with that.”
Amandala was unable to get formal comment from the chief executive officer in the Ministry of Health on the dialysis issue, because he has left the country.
For its part, BHP has told the media that the dialysis service is very costly, and they are willing to continue, as well as provide necessary kidney transplants, under the right terms.
BHP has reduced the price of dialysis treatment for persons under the program from $750 to $500. We understand that the price in Chetumal, where some Belizeans still go for treatment, is still substantially lower – reportedly half the discounted BHP price.