The air of mistrust and uncertainty hangs heavy at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital tonight. The news is that there has been no resolution of the one week standoff between the hospital's management and its doctors – in fact indications to us are that both sides are digging their heels in. Last night we reported that the Minister of Labour invoked the Settlement of Disputes in Essential Services Act and appointed Labour Commissioner Ivan Williams as the mediator. But the problem was that the union didn't show up to a meeting.
The meeting was rescheduled for today but instead of meeting with the board and the Labour Commissioner, the Belize Medical and Dental Union met with the media this morning. At a press conference, union leaders say they didn't attend yesterday's meeting because they were informed only 30 minutes prior to it. And with that out of the way – the leaders laid out the evidence that they say demonstrates corruption and mismanagement.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This morning the Medical and Dental Union's Executive presented documentary proof of corruption at the KHMH.
Dr. John Sosa, BMDU President
"It seems to us that for some reason, someone is getting the majority of the business. De La Fuente Pharmacy on many occasions buys from the distributor who previously supplied the hospital directly. Those people now have to go through De La Fuente and he sells the hospital and of course there is a mark-up along the way and we would wish for someone to tell us why it has to be that way. Why do you have to buy from someone who then buys from an other person who could supply directly to the hospital."
And then there is MC-Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. John Sosa,
"There is an address up there that says 24 Dunn Street and the phone number is the same and the company is MC Pharmaceuticals and it says billed to KHMH. And as usual, anything we gives them they shoot down, they always have an excuse. And I know they will find an excuse for the prices, an excuse for the contracts. What I don't know. Their excuse with this is that Dr. Fabro was selling it to Central Supplies, government of Belize paid for it and then I would want them to explain to me why it says ‘Billed to Karl Heusner.' I don't know and we several like that and there are more."
According to the doctors, the man who signed off on those purchases was the KHMH's Director of Finance Carlos Perrera
Dr. John Sosa,
"One person brought in his supply officer, you may say, and that one person decided, I don't know if he still decides, what he pays for medication and who he spends it with; one person. This person is not a technical person. Prior to ten months ago, two technical persons the Director of Medical Services and the Chief Pharmacist would call around, find a supplier with the best price for the best quality and recommend that to be bought. For the past ten months that have no longer happened.
The finance officer is basically the one responsible for deciding who they buy from and at what price they buy it for – Carlos Perrera. We're not saying that anyone has stolen anything, that anyone is doing anything illegal. We don't know. All we know is that things can be done in a better manner and we want it to be done that way."
And because it is not being done that way – doctors say they are forced to use rusty equipment like these. Imagine – these should have been stainless steel but are now rusted – and doctors claim they are in use at the KHMH.
Dr. Beatriz Thompson, BMDU
"This is the equipment that surgeons and gynaecologists work with. At the operating rooms this is what they do the surgeries with. If you see these instruments how they look, that is what they work with it. They look rusty. It is not fair for the poor man to get that kind of instrument. If you were rich you could go to Medical Associates, you could go to Belize Healthcare Partners Limited but me who is poor and the next man who is poor, we have to come to KHMH and that is what we are going to subjected to, that is what we are going to be treated me."
The doctors have restated their request or might now be a demand for heads to roll.
Dr. Beatriz Thompson,
"That the Chairman of the Board Dr. Ricardo Fabro be terminated depending on the outcome of the audit of the Board. The Chief Executive Officer Dr. Francis
Longsworth and Financial Administrator Mr. Carlos Perrera be suspended from office respectively until the inquiry is finished and reported."
Dr. John Sosa,
"A couple of the others they might have had some little issues with but most of the things I think they would and I think you guys would agree were up for basically no discussion. There are things that are very fair and honest to ask for. So this is what we wanted to discuss at the time with the Board but with the absence of course of Dr. Fabro and Dr. Longsworth who are a bone of contention in this issue."
Dr. Martha Habet, BMDU
"None of us have any personal interest in this. As a matter of fact all of us would wish to be just working and have the equipment, supplies, and everything we need to provide to our patients and forget about administration and all of that. It is really frustrating sometimes to be working and being in the field and facing patients with needs that are some of them basic."
Dr. John Sosa says they are willing to return to the negotiation table but he says it will be on their terms.
Dr. John Sosa,
"The doctors are not on any go slow. I can state that categorically, we are not on any go slow. I have spoken to the Labour Commissioner today. I told him we cannot do it until Monday. We are willing to do it Monday. We have to I would think because they have invoked certain things and we will go with our memorandum and if they agree we have no problem."
And if they don't? Well that is the one question on which these union execs deferred a pronouncement.
The union says they will take the memorandum of understanding with them to Monday's meeting. We tried to reach KHMH CEO Francis Longsworth but we were told he was in a meeting.
