BMDA Counters Disinformation on COVID and Warns Fake Doctors They May be Arrested
A flurry of disinformation about the coronavirus and the COVID-19 vaccines has prompted the Belize Medical and Dental Association to make a rare public denunciation of those perpetrating the false claims. Not only did the association president counter the fiction with facts, she also reminded those individuals purporting to be doctors in order to give credence to a particular movement or ideology that they could face jail time under the Belize Medical Act. News Five’s Paul Lopez spoke with Doctor Uldine Wright this evening.
Dr. Uldine Wright, President, B.M.D.A.
“First, I was appalled. I could not believe that there were Belizeans in this time and age with information available to them who have these theories that are not scientifically based. At first I was ignoring it and I was even advised by some of my executives that it wouldn’t make any sense to debate with these people because they were on a different ball field. We would be talking science and they would be taking beliefs. It was called to my attention today because they have expanded their groups and people are listening to them. This is a threat to our medical system. Our doctors and nurses who are on the frontline would have to deal with the repercussions of these movements.”
The Belize Rights and Justice Movements claims they have four doctors in their group as their advisors. Doctor Wright says in reality only one of them is an actual medical practitioner in Belize. The others could face fines – or even jail time – under the Medical Act.
Dr. Uldine Wright
“I believe it was Doctor Jose Espat, Doctor Pelayo, Doctor Dean Flowers and Doctor Gerald Zuniga. Of these four names, I confirmed this morning that only Doctor Gerald Zuniga is registered to practice in Belize. The only law I know is the Medical Act, and it clearly states that in part six, section two states that a person who is not qualified or registered or licensed to practice medicine in Belize, and assumes or uses any name or title implying that he is entitled to be registered and recognized as a person’s authorized to practice medicine or engaged in the practice of medicine, and earlier in the act they explained practicing of medicine as implying that you are a doctor or giving medical advice or opinions, commits an office and is liable of a summary of conviction to a fine of fifty thousand dollars or imprisonment or both.”
Uldine Wright
Doctor Wright also refuted claims made by Doctor Zuniga on a Belize City television morning show.
Dr. Uldine Wright
“Some of his comments raised are that there is “proof”, unquote, that these vaccines would in the future cause cancer and sterilization and that they are interfering with genetic code. Um, where is he getting this information from? The effect of a vaccine is recorded after a vaccine. Now, if after a few months somebody says that they have cancer or they have sterilization because of a vaccine that is something a person with common-sense can analyze and make for himself his own decision. They are saying that it is an experimental vaccine. These vaccines have gone through all phases of the experimentation. I would want to say, the speed of it was increased but this is because we are dealing in modern times, we are not reinventing the wheel with these vaccine. They used the Sars Vaccine they have developed years ago and they have modified it for the COVID-19.”
Doctor Wright says over thirty two thousand individuals underwent phase three of the trial testing for the AstraZeneca Vaccine before it was made available to the global population. Claims that the vaccine is an experimental shot is false. To date there have been no reports of death caused by the vaccine in Belize.
Dr. Uldine Wright
“They went on to say that oh they have been reading, and they never mention any reference. They just put off what they read. So, my advice to Belizean people is look for credible information because if we go on the internet right now, I can go on Google and I can type in “pink elephant” and a picture of a pink elephant would show up. So, if I want to go onto the internet right now and find negative effects of COVID vaccine, millions would pop up, but that doesn’t mean they are reliable information.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
