PSU Speaks Out Following Tragic Death of Elderly Man

The tragic death of 92-year-old Eusebio Espinoza Senior at Northern Regional Hospital has sparked widespread outrage, prompting Public Service Union (PSU) President Dean Flowers to address the systemic issues plaguing Belize’s healthcare system. Flowers emphasized that while healthcare workers are often blamed for such incidents, the root causes lie in chronic underfunding, inadequate resources, and overwhelming workloads. He highlighted the dire conditions faced by medical staff, including doctors working seven consecutive night shifts and nurses forced into double shifts due to staffing shortages. Additionally, Flowers pointed to severe shortages of essential supplies, such as syringes, gauze, and effective medications, despite the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) operating with its largest budget in history. He criticized the involvement of unqualified pharmaceutical importers and called for government accountability, urging the public to recognize the immense challenges faced by healthcare workers rather than attributing blame to them. This incident has reignited debates over whether the tragedy resulted from individual negligence or systemic failures within Belize’s healthcare infrastructure.