The Belize Spine Program

RMEC set a goal of identifying an area in the developing world that is not able to offer patients up-to-date comprehensive spine care.  An important criterion is the existence of a general hospital with at least one orthopedic surgeon on staff.  Once identified, RMEC ‘s intent was to then partner with that host hospital to deliver a spine education and training program.  At the conclusion of the program, RMEC would leave behind a self-sustaining spine clinic. 

We identified such a hospital in Belize City, Belize.  In 2010 we were successful in hiring a Canadian consultant, Keri George, RN, who has extensive experience in setting up clinics in Africa and emerging countries around the world.  Ms. George traveled to Belize on a fact finding mission under the auspices of RMEC.  Subsequently, she has initiated several in-country visits, and  traveled again to Belize in early 2011 accompanied by Dr. John Williams, an orthopedic spine surgeon in private practice in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Dr. Williams has  performed surgeries collaboratively with the Belizean surgeons in the Belize Public Health sponsored hospital there, moving us closer to our goal of on-going training and collaboration.  Additionally, 2010 saw the introduction of this project to the medical instrumentation and equipment industries in our first efforts to solicit support for clinic provisions for future surgeries.  

We will continue to post information on this page as our initiative develops.  Our goal is to  begin establishing our program in Belize by mid-year 2011.