Incoming KHMH CEO on Steering Through COVID and Working with Union

The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital officially confirmed today that Chandra Nisbet Cansino is going to take over as CEO. This morning on Open Your Eyes, she talked about the board’s plans for the facility and how these align with her own vision for management of the hospital. Among the long term plans are a new building to expand capacity and bring the KHMH up to a higher standard for hurricane readiness, since the building erected twenty-six years ago is only able to withstand a category two. There are also plans for improved kidney and cardiac care. Cansino discussed what she sees as most pressing problems right now and her desire to work in partnership with the KHMH workers union and Belize Nursing Association.

Chandra Nisbet Cansino

Chandra Nisbet Cansino, Incoming CEO, KHMH

“In the short term, it is getting through the wave of the pandemic. Yes, COVID is here to stay, and we would have to, you know, work around that. But this phase, is really taking a toll on the staff. It’s taking a toll on the hospital finances, it’s taking a toll on the hospital supplies, it’s taking a toll o0n the patients. And so, we are really hoping that the current phase will not be lingering for much longer, so we can start to heal the staff and start to recover, because they will really need to recover after this. At least those that are in that particular unit.  The expenses due to the COVID pandemic reeking, you know, we have been tripling the use of oxygen, tripling the use of the PPEs that the nurses have to wear, and all of those things. And we are not tripling the collections. And so we have the same subvention from the government that they are trying to, or we are trying to stretch, stretch like chewing gum, in order to be able to be, you know have enough oxygen, have enough. And so, it’s really a tough time because expenses are increasing but collections are not. And so, that is the areas we really have to look at. The union is a very, very important partner. The Nurses Association…I think it’s more the K.H.M.H Union that cover the workers of K.H.M.H. The Nurse’s Association is more for the District hospitals, I believe. And so, must definitely, I already got the text from the union asking when they will be able to meet. So, definitely they are number one on top of the list of groups of persons I will be meeting with.”