P.M. announces new ward for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Dean Barrow

The investigation still leaves unresolved questions. The Prime Minister, who sat at the head table, possibly broke his personal record for his shortest speech. In three minutes, the P.M. expressed condolences to the parents of the deceased children, committed government finances and said he will unlock funds from international donors to build a new ward to house the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“Both immediate and longer term remedial action is necessary. Among other things, this involves financing. And this is where government must and will do its part. I have already told the board that the expenses of rehabilitating and modestly expanding the current premises of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will be borne by the Government of Belize. We will also pay for any equipment that needs immediate replacement and we will help to defray the costs of any outsourcing of medical treatment that might be necessary while the remake of the facility is in progress. Most important of course is the construction of the completely new wing of the K.H.M.H. which will the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. This project, spearheaded by my wife, Kim, and the hospital and the Ministry of Health is well advanced in so far as the architectural plans and scope of works have already been drawn up. In fact, both the project manager and the building contractor have also been appointed so that all was in readiness for construction to start except for one thing. Construction was to have been funded by the donations realized through Kim’s fundraising efforts. Commitments, in that regard, have been made by among others the Goby Challenge Foundation and discussions are ongoing with the OAK and a number of European outfits. But the actual money has been a little slow in coming as a result of the very necessary procedures that must be gone through with the funding agencies. What government will now do is to find the first half a million dollars so that construction can begin immediately.”

Francis Gary Longsworth

Francis Gary Longsworth, C.E.O., K.H.M.H.

“Until we can refurbish the existing NICU and expand it satisfactorily to last until the new PICU and NICU is completed. This we anticipate will take approximately eighteen months to two years to be fully completed—the new NICU/PICU—fully completed and equipped and ready for occupancy by staff and patients.”

Barrow says that government had already disbursed five hundred thousand dollars towards construction of the new ward. Three million dollars total will be obtained from international donors. But all be told, there is still no indication if heads will roll or who will be held accountable.