Renovated health clinic improves care on Southside
It has been shut down for over six months, but today the 2005 version of the Matron Roberts Health Centre–now referred to as a Polyclinic–was unveiled today in Belize City. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods has the story.
Arturo Gamero, Clinical Director, Matron Roberts Polyclinic 11
?Now even if we count the other private institutions that are present on the south side, this is by far the biggest not only in terms of its physical size, but also the biggest in terms of the scope of services that will be able to offer in here.?
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Today the Matron Roberts Polyclinic, one of three new medical facilities scheduled to open this month, was inaugurated during a ceremony at the newly renovated two-storey facility.
Person #1
?I think the new building is wonderful. It is quite a transformation from the old one and the way it used to be. We know that a healthy nation produces healthy people so I think that is the whole bottom line: health. It?s very transforming.?
Person #2
?The service has to keep up with it right. Nutrition and attendance to the public, the loving care and so on. I think its very good to think about the people so much to provide such facility.?
The new facility situated on the city?s south side boasts eight examination rooms, a spacious lobby and waiting area, a pharmacy and dental clinic.
Arturo Gamero
?What are we able to do here? We do outpatient general consultation. We do control and treatment of diabetes; we do control and treatment of hyper-tension; we do pre-natal control; we do post-natal control; we do vaccinations of children; we do daily dressing for people who need such a service; we do nebulization for asthmatics. We are capable of maintaining a patient here hospitalised up to twelve hours for management of hypertensive or diabetic crisis. We have and are capable of doing a normal and uncomplicated delivery in here.?
According to the Minister of Health Vildo Marin the enhanced service is just part of Government?s commitment to the Health Sector Reform Project.
Vildo Marin, Minister of Health
?Well certainly we cannot speak about improving the health system without improving the health centres and that certainly is one of our goals to make sure that all of our health centres, hospitals and all our rural health posts are in good shape.?
Marin says the Ministry of Health is also in the process of expanding the National Health Insurance Scheme or N.H.I. presently only being offered on the city?s south side.
Vildo Marin
?We are going to expand in either June or July to the two southern districts, which is Stann Creek and Toledo. As you know, those are rural areas and certainly the model has to change and that?s where we are working on right now. The rural model and the urban model are different. So right now we are working on that and by June or July we should be rolling out to Stann Creek and Toledo and in the following year we will roll out to the two northern districts, Corozal and Orange Walk and in 2008 we will are going to the Cayo District.?
Each year, it costs the government approximately fifty million dollars to provide health services across the country. Prime Minister Said Musa says despite the financial constraints, his government remains committed to continue give priority to health, education and poverty reduction.
Prime Minister Said Musa
?If we neglect the health of our poor people, it will cost us millions and millions of dollars more in the future. And so this is money well spent. This is a good investment. This is the real investment in the Belizean people. And the emphasis continues to be on primary health care and preventative care because that is the most cost effective. Prevention is always better than cure.?
The Matron Roberts Polyclinic will be open from Mondays to Fridays until eight pm and on Saturdays until twelve noon. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
The renovations were made at a cost of eight hundred thousand dollars. Contractor was Kee Chanona Ltd. and project consultant was Gutierrez and Associates.
