Medical congress opens in Bz. City
The practice of medicine seems to be a growth industry in Belize. And with new private clinics springing up and government facilities under renovation, the doctors who met today in Belize City had plenty to talk about. News 5’s Marion Ali reports from the Radisson.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Over eighty medical professionals, mainly doctors, gathered today in discussions marking the start of the twentieth National Medical and Dental Congress. The practitioners examined issues ranging from dermatology to neurosurgery, AIDS prevention to diabetes.
But the cure and prevention of specific diseases was not the only subject of discussion. In terms of the N.H.I. Project, President of the Association, Dr. Robert Coye, says that a regulatory framework governing health care providers should be completed within the next few months.
Dr Robert Coye, Pres., Belize Medical and Dental Assn.
“Now there’s a lot to be done. You need to improve upon infrastructure, you need to improve upon human resources, training, equipment, supplies, et cetera. Once that is improved upon in a cost effective manner, then you determine, okay, we can take care of ninety percent of primary and secondary care. And the rest that we can’t take care of we will put out for bidding in the private sector. For example, there is no point in buying a M.R.I. or CAT scan if the private sector already owns. There’s two in the private sector, then they compete and come up with a reasonable price to provide that to the public. So the man on the street hopefully will get the most for their money.”
But that day might be at least another eight months away, as no firm date has yet been set for the N.H.I.’s full implementation.
As for the HIV/AIDS situation, Epidemiologist, Dr. Paul Edwards, says the figures are frightening.
Dr Paul Edwards, Epidemiologist, Min. of Health
“Results for the first quarter: there were ninety-six new infections, and in the second quarter of this year there were a hundred. Extrapolating from that, then we’re expecting that there will be four hundred new HIV infections for this year, compared to three hundred and thirty last year, and two hundred and forty-one the year before, two hundred and twenty-six infections, the year even before that. So what we’re seeing is an increase. The epidemiological trend is that there’s an increase in HIV infections.”
Marion Ali
“Give me a breakdown of the cases as they exist.”
Dr. Paul Edwards
“In relation to districts, there are three districts most affected by this epidemic in Belize; the Belize District for the most part, the Stann Creek District and the Cayo District. In relation to three senses: HIV infection, AIDS cases reported, and reported AIDS deaths.”
And while many still think of AIDS as a disease of homosexual men, the fastest growing group of infected persons… is women. Marion Ali for News 5.
One of the issues being taken up at the Congress is the enactment of a medical and dental act, which would test the competence of foreign doctors seeking to work here. The congress ends on Saturday.
