Health CEO discusses Commission of Inquiry findings

Dr. peter allen

When it was held last October and November, the Commission of Inquiry looking into the procedures in attaining pharmaceutical and medical supplies at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, sounded alarm bells.  The review covered January 2007 to July 2009, the period when the Belize Medical and Dental Union made allegations of gross abandonment of procedures, causing a fallout between health officials and the hospital’s executive. A perusal of the commission’s report shows a number of instances when things went wrong at the hospital.  When we caught up with him today, the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Peter Allen, said he has reviewed the report and at first glance, it appears that no one has been criminally implicated, but that there will be a need for a proper shake-up in the system and some repayments for some of the losses incurred as a result of the practices.

Dr. Peter Allen, CEO, Ministry of Health

“First of all the Board appears to be exonerated of any allegations of corruption but clearly I think that in the past administration and the current administration the report identifies weaknesses where we can strengthen and I think that’s where we want to be; to be constructive and to make sure that the services that we offer, through the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital continue to improve and that the services reflect the needs of our people countrywide.”

Marion Ali

“Are you telling me that it all amounts to nobody being criminally or otherwise responsible for what has happened?  This coming after the Belize Medical and Dental Union had question marks about some of the practices and procedures – overpriced medication and pharmaceuticals and supplies and so forth.”

Dr. Peter Allen

“My understanding from the report is that it identifies weaknesses and areas where we can constructively move forward to provide the best possible service but there are parts of the report that do recommend that some officers be asked to compensate for what are perceived not acts of corruption, as far as I understand the report, but for mistakes.  Now I have to look at the report further and find out more exactly what the Commissioners mean by that but I think the report is quite clear in that it seems to suggest that the current Board has been moving in the right direction in terms of introducing standard operating procedures and protocols for the management of the K.H.M.H., but that there are always improvement that could be made.”

Marion Ali

“Will there be any transfers, dismissals, suspensions as a result of the inquiry?”

Dr. Peter Allen

“I haven’t yet discussed it yet with the Board.  I‘m not sure if the Board has actually received a copy itself yet but obviously Karl Heusner is a statutory authority that’s governed by the Karl Heusner Memorial Act of 2000.  Within the confines of that legislation it’s the Board that has the authority at K.H.M.H., and of course the Board is appointed by the Minister, so I’m sure the Board will carefully review this as will the Ministry and then be making the appropriate suggestions.”

Some of the names that have been mentioned for repayment of losses to the hospital include its former C.E.O., Dr. Alvaro Rosado, former Finance Director, Cecil Knowles, current Finance Director, Carlos Perrera and Tiffarah Anderson, a former cashier at the institution who was accused of stealing over twenty-eight thousand dollars from the K.H.M.H.