How Medical Failures and Systemic Negligence Led to Kaleel Nah’s Death

On Wednesday, September 3, two-year-old Kaleel Nah passed away while being transported by boat from Ambergris Caye to Belize City late that evening.

Little Kaleel had been feeling unwell since Saturday, August 30, with cough, fever, and vomiting.

His health deteriorated rapidly in a matter of days, with it worsening by Monday, September 1. That’s when Virgen Garcia, little Kaleel’s mother, told News 5 that she decided to take him to the San Pedro Polyclinic. She said doctors sent them home with medication but no clear answers.

Despite her efforts to manage the fever at home with the medication given to her, Kaleel’s condition worsened. “They just gave me medication for vomiting and fever. They never told me what he had or what he might have,” Garcia said.

By Tuesday, September 2, his symptoms had worsened. He was given an injection but showed no signs of improvement.

By Tuesday afternoon, little Kaleel was admitted to the island’s polyclinic and placed on IV fluids to treat his dehydration. Virgen reported that “even after blood tests and x-rays, everything came out good, and still I told the doctor something was wrong. I told the doctor and them my baby was sweating cold, that my baby noh look correct, my baby had ih eye swell. And she replied to me that it’s normal.”

Virgen said that the doctors eventually discharged and referred little Kaleel to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for “a second opinion from an emergency pediatrician.” However, this was done without classifying the case as an emergency.

Teresa Garcia, Kaleel’s grandmother, said that by that time, “The child was no longer well. The child was purple.”

Virgen said she attempted to get transportation from the local airline, but the airline’s next flight was not until hours later. “So, I tell my bwai, the best thing is we grab the boat,” Virgen said.

Tragically, the boy’s condition worsened during the water taxi journey, and he succumbed to his illness. Little Kaleel never made it past Caye Caulker, Virgen said.

A video quickly flooded social media, capturing the moment where bystanders tried to help, but it was too late. The parents were heard heartwrenchingly crying for the loss of their baby boy Kaleel.

A day after, on September 4, the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW) issued a statement addressing little Kaleel’s death. It stated that the child was admitted for treatment of an acute respiratory infection and dehydration, but after not showing signs of improvement, the parents were advised to seek specialist care for further management. “This is a coroner’s case; therefore, we await the result of the autopsy findings,” the ministry added.

Little Kaleel’s death exposed the serious gaps in healthcare for island and rural communities. “It’s not the first; it’s not the second time that somebody has passed away here on the island, especially when it comes to medical emergencies,” said Abner Bacab, a first responder at the Island Emergency Services. “The problem starts all the way from the government coming down. There are protocols that need to be followed to meet an emergency situation, and then the doctors classify it as an emergency and get approval to get the airplane to come for the person.”

Back in March 2024, the Government of Belize broke ground to mark the initiation of construction for the San Pedro General Hospital. With a new tertiary health facility underway and Little Kaleel’s unprecedented death, News 5 asked Prime Minister John Briceño for an update on the progress of this state-of-the-art facility, which is expected to be ready by 2026.

PM Briceño said, “My heart goes out to the family, but we’re building a hospital, and we’re hoping that that hospital, hopefully sometime next year… We have to do better, and that is why we are building a hospital in San Pedro.”

Meanwhile, first responder Bacab called on the government to expand the National Health Insurance (NHI) programme and include emergency airlifts and ambulance services for the islanders.

News 5 reached out to the Minister of Health and Wellness Kevin Bernard for a comment. He responded, directing us to the Director of Hospital Services and Allied Health, Dr Jorge Polanco. 

Dr Polanco responded to our request for comment, stating that he is currently “on leave and out of the country.”

Loved ones and other Islanders came together in mourning on Saturday, September 6, as they put Little Kaleel to rest.

Meanwhile, his post-mortem results are still pending. According to Dr Polanco, the “reports are still being gathered.”