Overwhelmed hospitals have been in the news for two weeks now, and while we were in desperate need of more beds we were also running low on vital supplies.
It's a need that has been somewhat filled by a container full of supplies destined to bolster the efforts of the nation's ambulances, clinics, and hospitals. Cherisse Halsall got a first-hand glimpse of those vital supplies, here's what she learned about their role in Belize's fight against Covid.
Belize got an early Christmas gift this morning that came - as many treasured gifts do - from "states." It's a container filled with medical supplies valued at about 1 million U.S. dollars.
The donation came through a partnership between the Belize Emergency Response Team, the U.S. based N.G.O Project Cure, and San Pedro's Triple R Air Evac. The supplies were handed over this morning to B.E.R.T's executive Director Anthony Carillo who told us that the additional supplies will allow better and more comprehensive services to visitors and locals alike.
Anthony Carillo, Executive Director, B.E.R.T.
"The container contains medical supplies that we will use in our accident and emergency units in San Pedro, Caye Caulker and we do intend to hand some over to KHMH as well. As you can see we have a lot of beds, as you know the beds in Belize are becoming in short supply this will help us be able to assist more patients going forward."
The funds for the contents of the container were raised by a Colorado group who'd started to work on it almost two years ago but they'd had some initial trouble shipping the container down. That's where triple R came in, and this morning Manager Mike Ruiz told us why adequate medical supplies are essential to visitor safety, security, and overall enjoyment.
Mike Ruiz, Manager, RRR
"One of our main pillars is to protect tourism, as tourism is such a large part of the economy in this country and people get to visit this wonderful country we want them to have a positive experience and if there is an emergency we need them to know that triple R is here to assist them to get out of the country and make it as painless as possible, bu doing this we're able to reinvest in the community and re-invest in the country."
And reinvestment is music to tourism Minister Anthony Mahler's ears. He says that Covid fears are still keeping tourists away from Belize but he hopes that an awareness of adequate medical supplies can begin to change things.
Hon. Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism
"When people feel that it is safe you will see the numbers go up. It is a very fluid situation, we started with two flights a day, one flight, two flights, and in December and January we were looking at 10, 15 flights a day already but like I said its fluid, the spike in the U.S. has created some issues for us as well, the spike in Belize. And so it's almost on a day-by-day basis that yes the flight is coming no the flight isn't coming, that type of thing. We have so much demand for medical supplies, Covid has created chaos around the world and in Belize and we want to ensure that we can do what is necessary to take care of the Belizean people and who all are in our country. It is important for us to have a response team, especially for tourism. Whether it be local people enjoying Belize or visitors from abroad."
Medical supplies are never so important as when they're scarce. It's an eventuality that this container should help to delay.
Minister Mahler also told the Press that as of right now his Ministry 1-800 number is still receiving 80% of its calls from potential visitors fielding health and safety questions while considering travel to Belize.
