Are there American-trained doctors in Cayo, Belize, including San Ignacio and Belmopan?
Jaseth Bassaragh - The Alpha & Omega Group
Yes, there are many American-trained doctors, American-trained dentists, and all the healthcare service providers in the Cayo District in Belize. When I go to visit them, I have confidence that they will do a good job.One of the differences between the healthcare you would receive in a first rate hospital in the US as compared to the care you would receive in Cayo is that there's less updated equipment, technology and infrastructure in Cayo. The providers,...
Yes, there are many American-trained doctors, American-trained dentists, and all the healthcare service providers in the Cayo District in Belize. When I go to visit them, I have confidence that they will do a good job.One of the differences between the healthcare you would receive in a first rate hospital in the US as compared to the care you would receive in Cayo is that there's less updated equipment, technology and infrastructure in Cayo. The providers, however, are good. There are many of them who have gone overseas to get trained, and then came back to Belize.
(Pictured: patient at Western Regional Hospital, Belmopan, Cayo District, Belize.)
Posted July 24, 2015
Tiffany Swift - Rentals In Belize
There might be American-trained doctors here in Cayo but a lot of the doctors here are trained in Cuba or some other Caribbean country. We have many good doctors in the Cayo district, and in Belize in general, and some of them might be American-trained.The quality of healthcare here in Cayo is good. We have a private hospital in the Cayo area and we have public hospitals. Over the past 5 years, healthcare has improved a lot. Many years ago, people used to go over the border...
There might be American-trained doctors here in Cayo but a lot of the doctors here are trained in Cuba or some other Caribbean country. We have many good doctors in the Cayo district, and in Belize in general, and some of them might be American-trained.The quality of healthcare here in Cayo is good. We have a private hospital in the Cayo area and we have public hospitals. Over the past 5 years, healthcare has improved a lot. Many years ago, people used to go over the border for healthcare, but now they're sticking to Belize, because the doctors here are well-trained.
For local injuries and non-emergency cases, healthcare is free at the government or public hospitals. For expats, it's the same thing. If they break their hand or if something happens to them, they could go to the public hospital and it’s free. For more major injuries, you would go to Belize City and it is still inexpensive compared to the US. A couple of years ago, John, my boss, had a surgery. It was twelve-hour operation in San Ignacio and it cost him about 50% less than would it would’ve cost in the US.
When you need to see a doctor here in Cayo, the cost will depend on where you go. I go to the public hospital and I don't get charged anything. If you need medication and they have it at a hospital, they give it to you for free. If not, you'll have to go to the pharmacy to buy it. Basic treatment is free as well. Blood tests and x-rays can be done at the public hospital for free. Anybody could go to a public hospital; even expats.
If you go to a public hospital for a surgery, whether you pay or not depends on what kind of surgery is needed but in case you have to pay, it's very inexpensive. An appendix surgery, for example, is inexpensive. To have a child, there's only a minimum fee for staying in the hospital if you have to, for a couple of days, which I would think is about $10 a night. It's very inexpensive. The delivery is free.
I don't have insurance here in Belize and I don't have a reason to get it because healthcare here is very inexpensive. A lot of people do not bother about getting health insurance because it's not needed. It's money that you really don't have to spend. Some companies, however, do offer insurance to their employees and then they would use it.
(Hon. Pablo Marin, the Minster of Health, Belize, pictured.)
Posted August 14, 2015
Roberto Harrison - Chaa Creek
We have competent and dependable doctors in Belize and most of them studied medicine either in Cuba or in Guatemala City. We have some who have been on crash trainings with doctors from First World countries such as the USA. For example, recently there was a group of American doctors here in Belize City. There were also Taiwanese doctors here in Belize City who were studying the facilities and the infrastructure of the hospitals in Belize. They come to study the facilities here in...We have competent and dependable doctors in Belize and most of them studied medicine either in Cuba or in Guatemala City. We have some who have been on crash trainings with doctors from First World countries such as the USA. For example, recently there was a group of American doctors here in Belize City. There were also Taiwanese doctors here in Belize City who were studying the facilities and the infrastructure of the hospitals in Belize. They come to study the facilities here in Belize and they submit a report with recommendations. They sometimes make donations as well. Belize has a population of only 360,000 and is a Third World Country, which makes the medical resources somewhat limited. The resources that we have to invest in something like healthcare is nothing compared to a First World country. What I notice is that people who have the resources to go elsewhere like the US, would rather do that simply because they have the resources to do so and they can afford to go to a country that has the equipment and facilities that doctors need in order to do what they have to do. Sometimes, even the doctors here in Belize recommend that you go to another country where they have better resources if they encounter a case that they deem will not be handled competently here in Belize. It is becoming more common now.
Cancer treatment, brain surgeries, dialysis, etc. are now available in Belize but it’s not accessible to everybody because some have limited resources and there are lots of people who are suffering from these types of illnesses. Since Belize is so small with such a small population, the best way to look at healthcare if you live in Belize is regionally, in addition to just within the country of Belize. As an example, Mexico has a lot of very good hospitals that are generally just across the border from Belize. Depending on where you are in Belize, you can get to Mexico easily if you need to get medical attention. Guatemala is also known to have better hospitals. I know a lot of Belizean personalities who go to Guatemala City to use the healthcare services there. Even the US is not too far from Belize. From Belize to Houston, Texas is a 2-hour plane ride while Belize to Miami is about an hour and a half.
(Doctors from Taiwan offered their services at the Western Regional Hospital in San Ignacio, Cayo, Belize, pictured.)
Posted December 27, 2015
Virginia Krohn - Villa Cayo Belize
The doctors here in Cayo are usually trained in Guatemala, Cuba, Mexico and other places in Central America. But I do think that the doctors in Cayo are as good as and nicer than the doctors I had to see in Kaiser Permanente in the states. We have a nice hospital and several clinics that have their own laboratories. The doctors are more than qualified as general practitioners and family doctors. Some are also specialists and surgeons. ...
The doctors here in Cayo are usually trained in Guatemala, Cuba, Mexico and other places in Central America. But I do think that the doctors in Cayo are as good as and nicer than the doctors I had to see in Kaiser Permanente in the states. We have a nice hospital and several clinics that have their own laboratories. The doctors are more than qualified as general practitioners and family doctors. Some are also specialists and surgeons. There is a private hospital in Belize City that has top of the line equipment and qualified doctors who take a lot more time than a US doctor would in explaining to you what exactly the situation is and what your options are. The treatment is good.
For most medical needs the first step would be to go to one of the clinics to be checked and then for anything more serious, go on to Belize City. We have ambulances that can take you there and we even have helicopters and airplanes that can fly you to Belize City. I don’t think medical care is as much of an issue any more here in Cayo.
(Javier Canul, a emergency medical technician and a professional clown on a emergency response vehicle, Belize City, Belize pictured.)
Posted May 16, 2016