AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye The care and emergency treatment of Mr. Fred Somes

And to Reaper... I would come down anytime and with our charity's president, Advanced care Paramedic darryl Chickness help to organize an Emergency Health Services Summit. Something we've thought about and a great suggestion by you!

Last time I checked on this issue Dr. Tina still did not have a license for private practice in Belize. This is posted NOT to be a negative comment about her but to simply point out the difficulty in getting outside doctors licensed for private practice in Belize.

I didn't take it as negative...u are correct.

I had proposed the island take over the fire service from the national brigade. I am able to bring FF's from San Pedro and put them through a 16 week training academy which includes EMT certification. They could also do "ride along" training for three or four months while being hosted by our local FF families.
It would be a start.

The only way to ensure that the funds are used properly is to keep them out of the hands of government. They should or would need to be privately managed by a commitee of some sort which should be accountable for every dollar (full disclosure).

There are a numbere of people on this island whom I would trust to make good decisions with those funds.

Have the meetings, determine the needs, make a plan, determine the cost, then figureout how to get the money!

what I don't want to see is a tax levied without the first steps completed. We need to know what it will cost before we speculate on what the tax might be. Maybe the BTB would simply cut a check. BTB gets funds from Tourists, locals and retirees. Most of the industry stakeholders have asked that more of the funds generated here on AC be spent here on AC.

What reaper just said is a perfect example of just how easy it would be to train these folks. This would also give a career to people who might not have one, whith the ability to earn a good living.

first, apologies for having my back up this morning. it's grey, rainy and 46* here, it was 7 am, and i am a woman - i ask for a l'il slack.

i saw mr. smith's very respectable creds before i posted.

i fixed my poor grammar.

i said condo [and HOA] fee, never increase tax to locals.

as a tourist, i would gladly donate 1 dollar (and prob more), as long as i felt there was a balanced fairness to it.

if u knew me, you would not be surprised that this year alone i have already donated to holy cross school, rc school, acccsd, and saga (twice), and decked a friend's son out in futball gear. i am not opposed to giving a fair share in any way.

so please do not think i'm some a-hole trying to start a class war, i'm just an [socialist] a-hole wanting basic services available for all.

Again, training and supplies are not the main obsticles.

Ability to pay for "in house" 24/7 responders is the issue. "Private" funds to fund this effort will be very difficult at best. An "optional" fee will also likely fail long term. Unfortunately I think that some form of mandantory contribution source is the only realistic long term funding answer.

I am involved on a very limited basis with SACNW which is a VERY worthy and successful effort to reduce crime and aid with medical emergencies in that area. The cost of this effort is going to be an on going long term problem. Initially everyone gives what they can but over time everyone's "donations" fade.

I don't see any other viable options outside of mandantory contributions to the E.R. effort. Who, when, how, how much and management are the initial answers we need to get this ball rolling.

Sounds like we have plenty of qualified volunteers willing to pitch in for training and supplies. Long term stable finance is the monkey on the back to be dealt with first.

I will help anyway I am able.

Although Amanda and Natalie are correct in their assessment of the emergency medical problems here, the solution is not quite so simplistic. Quick response is, of course, vital to good emergency care but so is proper medical equipment and the training of the doctor involved.
Emergency trauma care is an area of specialization and we should not expect the same results from a doctor who specializes in dermatology. I doubt anyone would retain a Corporate Tax Attorney to defend them in a Capital Murder case. The same goes for medicine. There are many disiplines of medicine but until we have all the necessary resources on the island to deal with traumatic emergency cases, I'm afraid this controversey will continue.
The Polyclinic was intended to be the panacea of emergency care here, but After a lot of money and equipment was donated by foreigners, we find ourselves with the same needs. Until the Polyclinic functions as intended and the "Docton On Call" is "On Call" and not on the mainland, we will suffer from the same margins of care.
Some of the doctors in private pratice here already donate many hours and their own supplies for emergency care without the expectation of compensation or even a simple "Thank You"!
The solution will not be easy but the core element is in place. The Polyclinic should have a doctor trained in trauma care, the necessary equipment, a patient bed, and a gate to the airstrip to facilitate the quick evacuation of a patient if needed. Someone should solicit donations of portable defibulators and supply every doctor on the island with such. All airliners that fly here have them aboard. Most hotels, schools, government and office buildings in the U.S. and Canada have them readily available. So should we!

P.S. Sweetjane, I've seen those claws out before ;-)

Maybe you'll also cut me a little slack when I get a liitle fired up here and won't let it go when I should.