…And B.H.P. announces new plans for dialysis

At the ceremony, Dr. Vinny also revealed the Belize Healthcare Partners plans to make dialysis treatment affordable in Belize and explained that in other countries the service is subsidized.

Dr. Muthugounder VenugopalLtd.
“We are planning to make dialysis as a separate entity from Belize Health Care Partners and we are going to make it a not for profit entity. Reasons for doing this are several. Most common complaint we hear from people about dialysis in Belize is why is our health care or dialysis cost quite a bit higher than say in Guatemala and Mexico. There are several reasons why it is. First of all, ours is a very small market. We got only twenty people that are utilizing our services because of cost restraints. Most of these are subsidized by the government. So our supplies, equipment; everything we are buying in retail whereas in Mexico and Guatemala, they are buying wholesale. Then of the cost of our services, almost thirty to thirty-five percent of our cost goes towards business tax, taxes on supplies, equipment as well as duty. By going the direction of not for profit, hopefully we can reduce some of this cost and we will be able to provide the service for more people.”

Dr. Vinny says B.H.P. is currently in the process of entering into partnership with a Guatemalan company to offer a package that includes Peritoneal and Haemodialysis as well as education on treating kidney related conditions at a reduced price.