The call centers in Belize, also known as business process outsourcing or BPOs for short, are trying to weather the economic crisis from COVID-19, like all businesses in the country. But, just before the coronavirus pandemic hit Belizean soil, they pooled their resources together to make an 82 thousand-dollar-donation to the Ministry of Health.
They say that they had been tracking the pandemic in its early stages, and when they realized that Belize would also be hit, they reached out to the Ministry of Health to find out how they could offer a helping hand.
Part of their donation went into the purchase of personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers, and infrared thermometers. Representatives from the major BPO donors invited the press to a handing over ceremony of the equipment. We got a chance to speak with them and the recipients this morning:
Kevin Herrera - CEO Protel BPO Limited
"We came up with the idea, well, let's pull some funds together, just to assist the Government with acquiring the type of equipment and the supplies that they need. This was very early. Individually, we started making pledges. This one was $20,000. This one was 5. This one was 10, 2, 3 - whatever it was. And I think the total was $82,000 that we had raised among ourselves. This was divided into NHI, as well as the Ministry of Health. It was something that we were very happy to have participated in, and we're even happier about how effective the efforts in Belize have been, in terms of controlling this pandemic. We believe that it could have been a lot worse."
Catherine Meighan - VP Call Center, Caye Talkers Belize
"The monies were deposited into the account pretty much sometime in March. What we did was it was two-fold. There were monies directly deposited into the account for NHI, and then, there was direct communication with Mrs. Bell from the Ministry of Health with some of our partners. So, our association members chose their options. Some were direct deposit, as I mentioned, and then others were direct communication where Ministry of Health identified, alright, we need this much for this, and then, we made the purchases as per their directions and logistics."
Dr. Castillo Rodriguez - NHI/SSB
"Basically, the roll that NHI/SSB played was to facilitate the purchase and the collaboration between the call centers and the Ministry of Health. So, in contact with the Ministry of Health, they identified [that] there was a need for N95 masks, and infrared thermometers, which Miss Melinda Guerra, the Central Health Region Manager, has just expressed are so much is on point because they will be using it in the rural areas."
Melinda Guerra - Regional Manager, Central Health Region
"The donations with the N-95 and the infrared thermometers are definitely coming in handy at our polyclinics and health centers. Right now, when persons are coming into the clinic before they come in, we have to take their temperature. We have to make sure that everybody is fine. So, that's where the triage starts."
Email
Print