Cayo hospitals receive donation from oil company
The Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan today received a donation of equipment worth in the neighbourhood of half a million dollars. The forty foot container was shipped to Belize through the efforts of the Ministry of Health, Belize Natural Energy and Project CURE, a humanitarian organization based in Colorado. The equipment includes wheelchairs, defibrillators, EKG machines, infant ventilators, gurneys, a dental X-Ray unit and long list of medical supplies including oxygen masks and gloves. According to health officials, today’s corporate contribution should significantly raise the standard of medical care in the Cayo District.
Pearl Ellis, Health Mgr., Western Regional Hospital
?This will certainly compliment the services that we want to offer in the operating theatre, because currently we only have one operating room and so the equipment that we receive will enhance that service. We have the human resources for the operating theatre, so the equipment will facilitate the delivery of health services for the surgical.?
Janelle Chanona
?When do you want to start building that new facility??
Pearl Ellis
?For the meantime, we will have to convert a little room that we have and that will be a temporary measure, but there are plans for us to construct a new building that will facilitate the two operating rooms.?
Dr. Peter Allen, Dir. Planning & Policy, M.O.H.
?Principally, we focussed on things for the San Ignacio Hospital and especially for the maternity unit in San Ignacio Hospital. In Belmopan at the Western Regional Hospital, we have had need?according to our staff?of further surgical instruments for the operating theatres. So they are chemistry analysers and defibrillators and very high tech equipment to assist in that area of the hospital.?
Janelle Chanona
?Are there other still areas of concern that other interested bodies can donate at this time??
Dr. Peter Allen
?I think there are always areas of concern. Health is an area where there is always a need to improve and always an area where we can do better. Of course, the ministry has lots of partners and they are strategic plans in place of course for the roll out of the National Health Insurance agency to the south and we always welcome any partners who are interested in helping us to give access to quality health care services for all Belizeans.?
?The equipment itself doesn?t work alone, it works with our health care providers in terms of actually providing the service, and with the Ministry of Health in providing the regulations and infrastructure to really make it work. So no one aspect works alone its the whole thing, the whole team working together to get a better quality of service for everyone.?
According to Allen, today’s donation coincides with World Health Day, which will be celebrated this Friday, under the theme, Working Together for Health.
