And while Alizae got treatment, she may be one of the last few to get it. Recently, the Cancer Society has hit a snag in getting treatment for Belizean patients who are sent to Merida for care. Years ago, the government had signed an MOU with the General hospital in Merida so that patients sent for treatment can receive financial aid. But now the MOU has expired, the hospital is not accepting any new Belizean patients. The CEO of the Belize Cancer Center told us that they have written to the ministry of health and wellness to try and get them to renew the MOU or make other accommodations but so far have not seen any correspondence to this urgent matter.
Dellone Pascasio, CEO, Belize Cancer Center
"It's been a challenge and simply because the hospital sees most of our Belizean children. As a matter of fact the doctor says that half their unit are children from Belize, is also struggling financially and we got an email that indicated that the hospital would stop seeing any new Belizean child because they were having some fiscal challenges and they would then reevaluate next year. We feel, Ms Laura Longsworth and I have been having discussions with the ceo from the ministry of health requesting that the MOU that was signed three years ago that expired two and a half years ago could be resigned so that at least the threat of not having a place to send out children once they are diagnosed would at least be mitigated. We are still waiting on the ministry of health's response as to where they are with the signing of the MOU."
JO-
"How critical is this given that children who are currently being treated cannot stop their treatment they have to follow through with the entire process."
Dellone Pascasio, CEO, Belize Cancer Center
"It's extremely critical and it's very concerning that the children don't really have a choice. It's not like they can go to another provider if this provider is unavailable. They only have one place to go unless you are a private citizen and you can find an alternate provider to take care of you these are children generally where the parents have limited funds and so they depend on their relationship between the Oharan hospital and Belize in order for them to get care. If for some reason they are unable to go there then we will have another bigger nightmare on our hands. They are so brittle and during the time they are taking their treatment and that treatment is two years long. They don't have the option of another provider."
We'll be following up with the Ministry of Health and Wellness on this.
