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What is now at stake in Belize’s COVID-19 hospital response

HighlightsWhat is now at stake in Belize’s COVID-19 hospital response

Saturday, April 11, 2020– Below is my SOMBER assessment, followed by some suggestions:

1. We feared that the indispensable role of the KHMH, the national referral hospital that is tasked with essential emergency and tertiary care services for all of Belize, is now at high risk of being crippled if contamination of the general hospital and staff ensues—which is now evidently afoot.

2. The circumstances and the manner in which Belize’s second victim was managed and succumbed, effectively “isolates” both the medical staff (doctors, nurses, and supporting staff) at the two institutions that cared for him: BHPL and KHMH.

3. Because the Covid-19 diagnosis (for “Case No. 10”) was made very late, only after several days of hospital admission shared between both BHPL and the KHMH, the exposure to medical staff was multiplied (especially for the KHMH ICU staff). They are already a rare breed of staff, with little or no redundancy.

4. Please do not overlook the impact of this most recent event on KHMH medical staff morale. Frankly, key hospital staff who spoke to me feel a double sense of betrayal. No one wins when your hospital staff loses. Also do not overlook the public perception of this indispensable institution, now that the hospital is perceived, rightly or wrongly, as a “Covid-19 risk” by regular patients and public alike—and the last place to go, given the most recent events. Perception is sometimes more important than reality, with real consequences.

5. Here is not the place to argue Item 4 above, because Belize’s health care response is now on at a crossroads, even on a precipice. What happens next is critical.

6. Based on the following:
(i). The words of Dr. Andre Sosa (BHPL’s chief of staff), who reported on March 26, 2020 that they were prepared to take in Covid-19 patients.

(ii). Given the events surrounding “Case No. 10”, the reality is that BHPL staff and facility is now “contaminated” and off-limits for regular use—effectively rendering “business as usual” untenable;

(iii) Based on the urgency and justifiable precedent that Governments and Governors worldwide are now “commandeering private institutions, healthcare and otherwise” in this unprecedented and extraordinary war-time effort, the Government of Belize would be wholly justified and lauded if they follow suit.

(iv). Get all stakeholders involved to DESIGNATE (and decontaminate) BHPL AS THE AT NATIONAL COVID-19 HOSPITAL—NCH (compensation is a matter for LATER discussion; additionally this the perfect contribution Sir Ashcroft can be tasked to make)

(v) This BHPL-NCH would be the perfect base for the Cuban medical contingent on the ground, mixed in with our Belizean ICU staff (who are NOW SIGNIFICANTLY DEPLETED because of recent exposure)

(vi) Cuba has provided big time help on the ground, but the PPEs, test kits, and tele-health expertise can be provided by countries with REAL EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES to manage Covid-19: Top of my list are Taiwan and South Korea.

(vii) Last, but not least, PLEASE COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY with your front-line medical staff on the ground, especially those at the KHMH. Just contemplate for a moment, a Belize with the KHMH being out-of-service. So, let’s not go there.

Feature photo: Bernard Bulwer

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