BELIZE HEALTH CARE PARTNERS LIMITED THREATENS TO STOP DIALYSIS TREATMENT

September 16, 2008

Belize Health Care Partners Limited has written the Minister of Health informing him that unless the Government comes up with a long term commitment they will cease providing dialysis services to patients on its programme after October 10.  Love News spoke with Collet Montejo of Belize Health Care Partners Limited.

Collet Montejo, Belize health Care Partners

"Dialysis service is something that we have been providing and we do intend to continue to provide it. The problem we are having is that we been trying for the past few months to sort of really establish the program, get it properly set up so that the patient can receive the maximum level of care that is available and can be available to them but because of the Ministry dragging its feet in relation to this issue we have not been able to proceed with the plans and hence the patients have been shortchanged, many of them are complaining and for that reason we would prefer to discontinue the program rather than continue to offer what we consider sub standard care.”

Montejo said Belize Health Care Partners Limited is looking at ways to improve the service offered to the more than 20 patients.

Collet Montejo, Belize Health Care Partners

“The Government basically has decided that they would supply the dialysis service for the patient. What we have been saying is that we are prepared not only to supply the dialysis service but also to supply what will assist these patients especially those awaiting kidney transplant, making certain that the level of care is such that there will be patients that are really prepared to do their transplants. At the moment many of the patients are simply doing dialysis, they are not getting adequate amount of logs, they are not getting a weekly injection and there are many other factors that are presently not in place that we would like to put in place but for us to do so we must have this formal agreement.”

We asked Montejo if this was just a situation where the private hospital is looking for the government to bail them out.

Collet Montejo, Belize Health Care Partners

“Contrary to that, basically what we are saying is we are willing to provide this service, it does require massive investment and it carries fairly high costs. We have tried our best to do all we can with the limited resources that are presently available. We have made contacts with clinics and what have you in Guatemala and in other countries to really enhance what is available here and also to move forward to be able to do kidney transplants here in Belize. The Ministry of Health basically have already agreed that yes they want to continue providing the dialysis service to those patients who need it, the only problem is that they are wondering who is going to provide the service. We are saying we are willing to do so under proper terms however unless those terms are clearly defined and we have a long standing agreement we cannot make the investment that it is going to take for this care to be available to the patients.”

In its letter Belize Health Care Partners Limited says they feel they have a valid contract from the Government and is asking the present administration to honour it. Love News spoke with CEO in the Ministry of Health Doctor Peter Allen.

Dr. Peter Allen, CEO Ministry of Health

“The contract that Belize Health Care Partners referred to is presumably the contract that was signed in January, 2008 between the then administration and the Belize Health Care Partners for a commitment of $300,000.00 every month to be paid directly into Belize Health Care Partners bank account. The one payment of $300,000.00 was made in January but since the election and since the new administration we have favored the principle of paying for services rendered and so Belize Health Care Partners bill us for dialysis services. We pay them in turn for those services as opposed to a direct deposit in their bank account. The contract is currently under review by the legal adviser in the Ministry of Finance and of course we will be following the legal advice gained from that review.”

Doctor Allen said the Ministry is looking at all possible alternatives to make sure that dialysis patients get the best possible care at the best possible cost.

Dr. Peter Allen, CEO Ministry of Health

“Belize Health Care Partners current price is $750.00 per session, and most dialysis patients require at least three sessions every week so 12 sessions of course for every month. One of the offers we have subsequently received from Belize Health Care Partners reduces that price to $500.00 which would also include an important drug which is important to the health of the dialysis patient so obviously they feel that they can provide the service at a significantly lower price than they are currently providing it but of course they want a long term contract. The Ministry, in all fairness to ourselves feet that we have to review different alternatives, and we expect to have that review and recommendation for the cabinet completed very soon. It is a very extremely complicated process.”

Doctor Allen said they have to continue the discussions with thought for the patients who are using the service.

Dr. Peter Allen, CEO Ministry of Health

“I’d like to reassure them that we will negotiate with Belize Health Care Partners but even if for any reason, those negotiations are unsuccessful we will stand by our kidney patients and we will make sure they get the services they need.”

At present 23 patients receive dialysis service under the programme.

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