Doctors say K.H.M.H. board responsible for price gouging

The Belize Medical and Dental Union has remained quiet in the past days in light of negotiations taking place with the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Board over allegations of corruption at the nation’s referral hospital. On Monday the report of a government appointed audit was released by the Office of the Prime Minister. And while the audit confirmed overpricing, the Chairman of the Board, Dr. Ricardo Fabro, who has been supplying the hospital with exorbitantly priced medication, emerged untouched. The reaction from the B.M.D.U. today came in a press release with not so subtle language. According to the release, the doctors put the blame on the board, which they say had to have known about the occurrences at the K.H.M.H.

The Union remains firm on its stance that the K.H.M.H. Chairman and the Board members are responsible for the operations of the hospital since they are the ones who design and decide on policies of the hospital.

The doctors feel the Board has the duty to exercise reasonable care when making decisions for the institution and should never use information obtained through their position for personal gain. In the release, the union says that the directors must ensure that they approve all major contracts in the right manner and spend the institution’s money wisely.

The doctors are calling for a total removal of all who are responsible for the corruption at K.H.M.H., ending off their release with the words “Corruption must be rooted out. You cannot cut a stem and expect the tree to not grow back”. The doctors will meet again with the Board on Wednesday with Labour Commissioner mediating at the negotiating table.