Today the employees of the KHMH sent out a release in which they say they reject the idea of the KHMH and Universal Health Services amalgamating. They claim that taxpayers did not receive profits from the UHS and they should not be made to pay. The release further states that upgrades to the KHMH are necessary but not at $44 million which the UHS currently stands at. A significant part of the staffers at the KHMH are the nurses and today under their umbrella organization the National Nurses Association they held a press conference.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
Today's Belize Nurses Association press conference proved one thing that is that as much as government does not know how the KHMH and universal's amalgamation will work.
Isabel Bennett, President - NAB
"We're not in a position to make an informed decision concerning this proposed because simply we do not have the information."
Lidia Alpuche Blake, Nurse Anesthetist
"If there is an integration of Universal with KHMH where will our benefits stand? The worry is that if there is this integration, who will amalgamate with who: will KHMH go to Universal or will Universal come to KHMH. What areas will be affected? Will the nurses have to change location of work? If the nurses go to Universal Heath Center, it is knowledge as far as we know as nurses that some of them get better salaries than us here at KHMH. Will our salary increase to their levels? Will our benefits be the same as them?
Universal has one operating theatre, Karl Heusner Memorial has three in the operating theatre section. There is also the labor and delivery section that has two operating theatres. What we need is machines and personnel so we are asking questions. Karl Heusner has this space, KHMH has the people, five hundred plus employees, Universal has a hundred and sixty five employees, limited space. They have the equipment so why don't they just move the equipment.
Another issue, why does the government has to pay for private entity's loan? Dr. Lizarraga has stated on public television that it is his company so live up to your responsibility, that is what some of the nurses were saying."
And while there were technical concerns on how the nursing staff will be directly affected there was also the money issues. The biggest question being why government has to pay a private sector loan.
Lidia Alpuche Blake,
'The nurses were concerned (about) why does the government has to be the one to have a sovereign responsibility over this institution. They haven't been paying and now this man is threatening on national television that he is coming over to us. He has already 'sinked a titanic' I would say, now he wants to come over.
Government has Ashcroft with land but government owns DFC. Government says they'll take over two-thirds, two thirds will belong to them, one third will stay for Universal. But if Universal hasn't even been paying with its full amount, the whole pie, how can they continuing paying with only one third of what they have."
Andrew Baird, Practical Nurse
"Flat out another concern that comes from the nurses is why should we nurses and Belizeans on a whole pay back for something that we didn't enjoy. If the government would want to do anything why not take ten million dollars and put it into KHMH and we'll get much more benefit and much more services to the people."
And now the NAB is asking that government consider them in their negotiations.
Lidia Alpuche Blake,
"We just want them to listen to us. In Karl Heusner there is a hundred and fifty three nurses. We did a poll yesterday and we counted the amounts today. Out of a total of ninety votes cast, of the one hundred and fifty three nurses, nineteen are Cubans, so from the rest that are Belizeans or international we got ninety three votes. And out of those ninety three votes, eighty nine voted no to amalgamation, two were undecided and two voted yes."
Isabel Bennett,
"We want our voices to be heard and we want to be a part of the planning process as it relates to this proposed amalgamation if there should be one."
And if the consideration is lacking then the NAB is prepared to implement mitigation measures. However they would not expose their cards today.
Isabel Bennett,
"At this point in time we will not indicate what our moves are but we do have our plans and we will move ahead as the body indicates. The NAB urges the government to be in concert and in close consultation with us so that we can address duly the health issues of our nation."
It is noteworthy to note that the universal loan started at $4 million with the DFC and $17 million with the Belize Bank. The DFC loan is now at $12 million while the Belize Bank loan is in the range of $31 million with interest accruing daily.
