Doctors Call on G.O.B. to Rethink Border Reopening
While the Government of Belize is moving full steam ahead with its May thirty-first land border reopening date, there are some health professionals who say this is too soon. In a Facebook post, Doctor Mark Musa of Belize Medical Associates said Belize is not ready, noting the low rate of vaccinations and COVID-19 surges in neighboring Guatemala and Mexico. Musa says there is a serious risk of Belize experiencing another wave, which he warns could lead to a full lockdown. While Doctor Musa did not respond to News Five’s request for an interview, his colleague at the Belize Medical Associates, Doctor Fernando Cuellar says there are many healthcare providers who think a reopening at this time is too risky.
Fernando Cuellar
Dr. Fernando Cuellar, Belize Medical Associates
“I think you are referring to a Facebook post that was done by my colleague Doctor Musa actually, where he voiced the opinion that indeed like you say we think that the way things are being done with the land borders opening is not the correct way. We, and not only him and himself, but most of us in the health care sector both public and private feels this is a utterly big mistake the way they want to do it in the next three days. We in the health sector know fully well what our condition is like with the economy. And we know that we need to open up, but we need to open up with care and the proper things in place. So all we are suggesting to them is let us open up in the next three months so that we have proper things in place. It can’t be done in the next three days. And um, I want to make an appeal to our powers that be to reconsider, that we do it in collaboration with the ministry of health. By the way, I know that the Ministry of Health is pushing back also for it not to happen the way the greater powers want it to be. I want to let everybody know and especially the people in charge that our colleagues in the public sector are stretched thin already. They have been working from last year March, they are tired. And for them to be given yet another task like this in such short notice is not proper. And they do not have much voice unfortunately.”
Paul Lopez
“You are suggesting that they are not things in place. My conversation with the C.E.O. of Tourism indicated something completely different. Similar protocols will be implemented as is at the airport.”
Dr. Fernando Cuellar
“What is on paper is not always reality. I know for a fact that people at the Ministry of Health says that they need more time for things to be done safely. I know that from the top and from the bottom. And that one thing.”
