COLOMBIA/PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday afternoon, Prime Minister William Marlin paid a visit to a number of patients from Sint Maarten who are in Cali Colombia. The Prime Minister himself is there for a medical checkup.
The Prime Minister dropped in on the patients who are staying at the Bela Nova Hotel, made up of a complex of four buildings totaling some 88 rooms.
Marlin said the patients were all full of praise for the facilities where they were staying and also very impressed with the care at the medical facilities.
Some patients are there for several months already and others for a couple of weeks now.
The Prime Minister was given a tour of the facilities by owner, Lina, who was very proud of her services she provides. She said she wanted to create a home environment for the patients and every door has a sign saying: Welcome Home.
To make her guests even more comfortable, she has equipped building 4, the newest of the units with 28 rooms on 6 floors, with a small gym with three machines, a room where they can get a massage. On the bottom floor the patients get together for Zumba classes.
All apartments are equipped with a kitchen, one or two bedrooms, and a small living area.
There are presently some 40 plus patients staying at the Bela Nova complex alone.
Prime Minister said he was pleased to meet Miss. Lelia Brown who is recovering from her bout with cancer.
He also already contacted the SZV about a patient who has been there now for more than a year and according to her brother who is there with her she has been released for some time now but no arrangements have been made by SZV for her return.
There was one patient who had surgery and complained about having to wait no less than 9 days before a nurse came to change the bandage.
Overall the patients were in high spirits and were a happy group of Medical Tourist enjoying Cali while there. It sort of gave me a glimpse of what Sint Maarten could soon mean to others when our own new medical facilities have been built.
