On Friday we told you about Doctor Fuasto Pineda, a public doctor who was criminally charged for for practicing medicine privately during the State of Emergency. That was made illegal two weeks ago.
That caught the attentions of the Belize Medical and Dental Association which put out a staining release on Friday night.
It complained bitterly about Pineda's arrest and also about the transfer of a doctor from Dangriga to Hopkins.
The release says, quote, "We are appalled by the recent cases of ill-treatment of our medical doctors. Our Colleagues have been in the front line risking their lives, working long hours, giving up time with their family and children during this difficult time for the safety of our people." End qoute.
From there it goes on to say that there is a case in which a doctor is being transferred from Dangriga to Hopkins. It says, quote, "The Doctor was told by the Manager of the Southern Health Region that his transfer is a result of misconduct. This doctor has been very vocal since the beginning of the COVID pandemic about the deplorable conditions and the lack of resources that the healthcare providers were working with in that region. This is a clear act of victimization…" end quote. We asked the DHS about it today - and he rejected the notion of a punitive transfer:
Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director Of Health Service
"As director for health service I wasn't aware that he would have made complains about the conditions at southern regional hospital. I am aware of complains raised by the nursing sector through the nursing association and we were in constant communication with them until those issues were sorted out and I was there last week Wednesday. Hopkins is in the same catchment area if you will as the southern regional hospital, so doctors can be sent there for a routine period, it's not considered a transfer, you are posted there and I don't know that anybody was being transferred. That's not the way we routinely would work."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"So you maintained that it was not a punitive measure?"
Dr. Marvin Manzanero
"No, that measure was taken here by headquarters. The CEO and the AO were aware of that transfer being done. The posting of the officer was done as can be done with all officer. This officer has also been in a few clinic, so you would also want to rotate people away, you don't want to keep them working there indefinitely."
The release also addresses the Dr. Pineda situation. It says, quote "it goes against the very core of our profession which is to serve our fellow human being in need….It is an undeniable truth that many times patients wait for endless hours to be attended in our public hospitals. Moreover, during this time, many of clinic in the hospitals are closed since the hospitals are running on emergency mode. This leave the general public with limited options for healthcare since many medical doctors working in the public sector also have private clinics." Manzanero says it's still the law - and whether the law is right or wrong is a larger conversation:
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"On the social security form it has the stamp from his private practice."
Dr. Marvin Manzanero
"If that is what is there, I know he is employed by us a public officer. He was on study leave up to the middle of last year and so he is employed by the public sector. I did see one copy of a social security form that was signed and stamp and it has a stamp as you are saying from a clinic outside of the government sector."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Is the BMDA in a sense defending the indefensible in so far as we know what the law is? If you don't like what the law is you can seek to change that, but once it is the law you have to abide by it."
Dr. Marvin Manzanero
"As I've said what is in the law is the law. I might not like it - it goes back to other elements that we may have. So if in point of fact he is being charged for doing private practice when it's clearly articulated that you can't do it, then I don't know that we ourselves can defend that."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"But is there something fundamentally wrong with the legislation when as the BMDA frames it, it has the effect of denying healthcare services to community members?"
Dr. Marvin Manzanero
"Well I am sure that it can be worked at. I did have a lengthy discussion with the president of the BMDA on Friday via phone, understanding that this is something that my office can look at along with the BMDA and present a paper as to what position we are willing to recommend."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"But as we are at this 28 day juncture, is that one of the laws or regulations that should in your opinion be urgently revisited, being that 28 days has passed without a positive test being detected?"
Dr. Marvin Manzanero
"That's one of the recommendations that can be made as we move along."
The BMDA is asking the Government of Belize to repeal this section of the SI immediately and remove charges against Pineda.
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