A New Polyclinic in the Works for Caye Caulker

Melissa Diaz-Musa

Today, it was officially announced that ground will be broken for the construction of a polyclinic on the island of Caye Caulker. Prime Minister John Briceño, Health and Wellness Minister Michel Chebat and Belize Rural South area rep Andre Perez will be in attendance on Friday for the event. It is an exciting moment for the island residents who have been clamouring for an upgrade to their health centre. News Five spoke with Deputy Regional Health Manager at the Central Health Region, Doctor Melissa Diaz-Musa on this new venture.

Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa, Deputy Regional Health Manager, Central Health Region

“We’ve been working on this for quite a few months or probably over a year or more – finding a spot, looking at the area. The Caye Caulker Village Council has been helping; we’ve had filling of the area so we are very excited about this groundbreaking ceremony tomorrow. Definitely Caye Caulker is in need of a nice polyclinic that is well-staffed and well-equipped. At this point, we do have two nurses at Caye Caulker and we have a medical doctor at the public facility and there is also a private medical doctor on the island and we all work together quite closely. There is a small health centre that is being used and if you’ve ever visited it, you’d know that yes, we are in need of a bigger, a more functional and a better space for persons from Caye Caulker to visit. So hopefully we will soon start with the building of Caye Caulker and probably in another year or less, we will be able to open that polyclinic.”