Belize Bank adopts a ward at the KHMH

The ongoing “Adopt a Ward Program at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital got a boost today from the Belize Bank. Both the babies and the staff at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will have a better environment with freshly painted walls, equipment and blankets to keep them warm. News Five’s Delahnie Bain was on hand for today’s event.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting

It was a big day for the little ones in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the KHMH. Over the past weeks, the Belize Bank has given the unit a new look, facelift, which was inaugurated today as part of the hospital’s “Adopt a Ward Program”.

Dr. Gary Longsworth, CEO, K.H.M.H.

“What we have been doing over the last seven months or so is approaching organizations and business houses and so on and asking for assistance with developing and sustaining and maintaining the hospital.”

Delahnie Bain

“And how has the “adopt a ward” program been going?”

gary longsworth

Dr. Gary Longsworth

“It’s taken off very well. It’s been well received by the business community and we’ve had many offers of help and now they’re coming to fruition.”

Jose Cardona, Chief Operating Officer, Belize Bank

“The adoption of the NICU was easy to do. The babies, it’s the most vulnerable to our society and the bank is really always very eager to contribute in a meaningful manner to the communities we serve. So this was an easy decision.”

Both and the babies and unit staff are benefiting from the improvements.

Jose Cardona

jose cardona

“We painted the ward, did some murals, we donated equipment for the ward, blankets, that kind of stuff for the babies. And for the staff, the nurses lounge, a computer desk, a sofa, microwave, coffee maker, that type of stuff to make their work environment a bit more comfortable.”

Delahnie Bain

“And all the work here was done by staff members?”

Jose Cardona

“Yes, well a lot of it. Approximately thirty or forty of our staff came in one weekend and did all the painting. As I mentioned in the handing over ceremony, the murals were actually painted by one of our own staff.”

Dr. Gary Longsworth

“I think it’s really great. I wasn’t able to keep track of the work as it was going on but I came and looked at the finished product a few days ago and I’m really pleased with the result.”

The Belize Bank has promised long term support to hospital and the adopted ward. That’s good news for the K.H.M.H. because the NICU is a vital unit.

Dr. Gary Longsworth

“This, to my mind, is one of our showcase units. As small as it is, it is very, very important. The standards of care in this unit are very good and the outcomes are remarkable in some cases. Some of the babies we save, would have died in much bigger and more sophisticated units. So I’m very proud of the staff and their efforts and we can only get better.”

Jose Cardona

“The continued maintenance of the KHMH will continue to need improvement and so the Belize Bank is committing to working with this facility itself to make sure that we continue to look at ways to improve the work environment as well as the environment of the patients that use this facility.”

Delahnie Bain for News Five.

The Pediatric Ward and staff lounge have also been renovated in previous projects under the Adopt a Ward program.