XIX Nat’l Medical and Dental Congress opens in Bz.

The XIX National Medical and Dental Congress, which affords local doctors and specialists a chance to upgrade their medical education, opened this morning at the Radisson. President of the B.M.D.A., Dr. Robert Coye, says several international physicians are also presenting papers at the event.

Dr. Robert Coye, Pres., Belize Medical and Dental Assoc.

“This congress is a little special, in that we’re doing it in conjunction with the Belize Haemophiliac Society. So they’re putting off a conference in conjunction with us and at this moment, we have a lecturer from John Hopkins University. He’s a paediatrician and he’s talking about haemophilia. We have some family members, relatives of haemophiliac patients that are here in Belize that are attending the congress as well.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“What are some of the other topics you have to cover over the duration of the congress?”

Dr. Robert Coye

“Today, the first topic was the AIDS epidemic in Belize. It was very interesting. Dr. Pedro Arriaga, he is Chief of the Department of Medicine at the Karl Heusner, presented a very inspiring, sad perspective of AIDS in Belize. It’s rampant, it’s growing, we have no treatment, and so patients that have AIDS will eventually die; mortality is a hundred percent. Other topics presented today were the cost-effective approach of end stage renal disease. In Belize, we do not have the capacity for hemodialysis. Patients that end stage renal disease die if they can’t afford dialysis, which is quite expensive as well. We’re looking at the management of pancreatitis.”

The congress, which ends tomorrow, also features a display of new pharmaceutical products on the market.