Japan Donates Medical Equipment to Belize

Today at the Biltmore Plaza in Belize City, a closing ceremony was held for a project funded by the Government of Japan. It was a project for Enhancing the Healthcare System through the Provision of Medical Equipment to the Government of Belize, particularly the Ministry of Health and Wellness.  News Five’s Duane Moody files this report.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Over eight hundred and seventy-five thousand U.S. dollars in medical equipment was handed over to the Ministry of Health and Wellness to improve the healthcare system of the country. From emergency carts to infusion pumps, mechanical ventilators, mobile x-rays and more, the donation was accepted by Health & Wellness Minister Kevin Bernard.

Kevin Bernard

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness

“Over the past fifteen months, we’ve been working with UNOPS and through the Embassy of Japan where we’ve been handed over one hundred and seventy equipment health-related that included the ambulance and the list that I mentioned earlier this morning. How this benefits the country is that it improves the service delivery to our residents, to our Belizeans.”

The Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs from Japan was in country for the handing over. He spoke of the bilateral ties with Belize, as well as the significance of the donation.

Kentaro Uesugi

Kentaro Uesugi, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan (Translated)

“We will continue to support W.H.O. and these international organizations as well as strengthen relationship bilaterally so that we can prevent infectious diseases and strengthen medical systems and not just that, we will continue to support in areas such as education and wellness of the people.”

Minister Bernard says that the equipment has been distributed to health facilities across the country.

Kevin Bernard

“In one of the villages in Punta Gorda, their cry was that we need an ambulance. Immediately we identified through the donation that one of those ambulance had to go to that area, so we were able to get that ambulance to the Isabella Palma Polyclinic. And likewise, in other areas as well. I mean the donation of x-ray machines. The mobile x-ray ultrasound machines is to benefit because people want these services to be able to address the health system at K.H.M.H. and other facilities. It means a lot to us and I want to offer again on behalf of all of us and our government, our greatest appreciation for the generosity express here today and the support that we have gotten over the last fifteen months through the Embassy of Japan.”

Duane Moody for News Five.