But even as NHI rolls like a listing galleon on treacherous seas, the health reform project continues. This morning, the good news was that two of the city's busiest public health facilities, the Matron Roberts and Cleopatra White health centers are being upgraded. They will now serve as what's called grade 2 polyclinics, meaning that they will be able to take patients in for observation and keep them for up to 18 hours for treatment.
It's a much needed shot in the arm for public healthcare, and it's a genuine capital project in times of economic contraction. That made it big news this morning when the Minister of Health signed for the upgrading of the two primary clinics in Belize, the Matron Roberts and Cleopatra White centers. Marin says the aim is and continues to be better health care delivery.
Hon. Vildo Marin, Minister of Health
"We need to improve the physical infrastructure of our health centers throughout the country. We have already begun in the villages. Most health posts and health centers have already been improved. But we need to do all of these large centers like Cleopatra White and Matron Roberts and all over the country at our community hospitals and at our regional hospitals we need to work on them definitely."
Dr. Jose Lopez, Director Central Medical District
"These buildings are 40 to 45 years old and the needs of the people in 2004 with the new programs and the new vision of integrated healthcare has changed. We need the buildings to suit this new change in philosophy. I would say definitely it would be better from two points of view: one from purely a service point of view and one from the comfort point of view. In other words as I mentioned we will be completely air-conditioned, we will now have nice bathrooms which will be fitted for the handicapped and that kind of thing. And even the design of the building is done in such a way to fit this new philosophy of integrated healthcare services. Remember that these buildings will be assigned a catchment area. Each building will have assigned to it between 12,000 to 14,000 people so you have to design your building considering those needs."
"We are not trying to compete with the private sector. As a matter of fact we are inviting the private sector to be a part of the health sector reform project. What we would definitely want to do is leave whatever the private sector can do, we allow them to do it, and then the Ministry of Health will then be stewards and the reformist to ensure they follow the new laws that we are about to set."
A total of $650,000 will be spent on Cleopatra White and $700,000 will be spent for Matron Roberts. Construction commences on the first of August. Plans are underway to upgrade other centers in San Pedro, Corozal and other districts in the coming months.