7 News Belize

PM Barrow Says PAHO Is Investigating
posted (June 6, 2013)
As you saw in the protest, the supporters are calling for the resignation of the Minister of Health, Pablo Marin.

7News got a chance to catch up with Prime Minister Dean Barrow who was at a consultation with the Belize National Teachers Union.

We asked about that sentiment, and he told us today that it is misguided. Here's how he explained why:

Reporter
"The parents are calling for an independent investigation, they are saying basically that they are not pleased with the way things were handled from administration, actually from the Minister right down."

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize
"I don't know what the Minister has to do with it, Lord man - this is a statutory body that is ran by a board of directors. The Ministry isn't involved in the administration isn't involved in the Karl Heusner Memorial and as for an independent investigation - we thought that that was what PAHO was doing. You can't get more independent than PAHO. At the last press conference the PAHO expert gave his preliminary indication of how he saw things. That process is not yet finished, there will be a formal report delivered by PAHO. I can understand why people would not be satisfied merely with the inquiry on the part of the KHMH part of the Board of Directors. But surely PAHO of global renowned has to be seen as both independent and professional so I would ask people to please let us await the detailed report that PAHO will issue at the conclusion of PAHO's investigations."

Reporter
"Any indication when that will be?"

Hon. Dean Barrow
"No, I'm sure they've indicated to the KHMH board to the institution but I don't know."

And so, while the report from PAHO is pending, the KHMH has already moved ahead to try to rectify the situation.

To that end, 2 Mexican physicians visited Belize to collaborate with Belizean authorities to produce a diagnosis on neonatal health.

A press release from the Mexican Embassy says that the situation has required immediate cooperation of the international community.

According to the Embassy, the Government of Belize, through the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Health, requested assistance from the Government of Mexico to collaborate through two Mexican specialists.

Those doctors were Dr. Daniel Ibarra from the Children´s Hospital, who is a specialist in Neonatology and Dr. Alethse de la Torre from the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition.

They were in Belize from June 2 to 5, where they consulted with the authorities at KHMH.

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