The saying is "life haad out ya" and apparently nowhere is the effect of austerity more visible than the KHMH, Belize's national referral hospital. Patients needing orthopedic surgery are having to go through changes because two weeks ago a surgical drill used for such procedures broke when it was being used to do the job of another surgical tool known as a reamer. Since then the KHMH has had to make do with a substitute drill, the kind that can be purchased at any local hardware store.
And while it may sound like a terrible trade off, Chief Executive Officer at the KHMH Dr. Alvaro Rosado says that the only downside the over the counter drill is that it cannot endure the number of sterilizations that a surgical drill can. Rosado would not tell us what kind of drill is presently being used but in the hospital, it's jokingly referred to as a 'Black and Decker.' But there's no joke in it for one woman who has to transfer her loved one from the KHMH to a private facility because she couldn't get his surgery completed. She spoke to us on the condition of anonymity.
Family Member,
"He told us that he cannot do the surgery because the instrument is broke. He told me that the instrument broke on the 25th of February 2006 about 10:30 to 11 am and they have not replaced it as yet. The thing is that my brother needs this surgery urgently, as quick as possible, and there is no way they can do it, only by using a drill from the hardware store. He is not willing to use the drill on my brother's foot so I will not let any other doctor use the drill, if he does not want to do it.
What I am doing now is I'm moving my brother from the KHMH to Universal to do the operation and this is what the operation will costs, an estimate of $6,800. The thing about this hospital is I don't really understand because maybe you'll have other people in the hospital who can't afford this money to move their family member and take them somewhere else to take the operation. We have a family who help and we could gather up the money and take him elsewhere to do it. The hospital has to do better than this.
The drill is a drill from a hardware store which they call an electrical drill which the construction men use out there when building. I talked to the doctor who is seeing my brother right and he told me he will not use that drill on my brother's foot, he doesn't recommend that drill none at all."
While that woman is taking her brother elsewhere for treatment, Rosado says that the absence of a surgical drill is in no way impairing the procedures done. He added that just this afternoon a hip replacement surgery was done at the KHMH. Meanwhile he says the KHMH has put the drill on order and it is expected to be in country within the next few weeks.
