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Upgraded Health Center Being Constructed

The Caye Caulker Village Council is please to announce that the cleaning of the site for the upgraded health center is almost completed, filling of the site is set to be completed by middle of April and construction is set to start end of April 2021. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with the Ministry of Health, and Our Area Representative, Hon. Andre Perez. Thank you.

This is the exact location of the upgraded health center. The past CCVC decided to give up piece of the property from the Sports Complex in order for us not to loose the project, filling of the property is scheduled for middle of April 2021.

This morning there will be a ground breaking ceremony at the upgraded health center site in Bahia Puesta Del Sol, Caye Caulker. The event is a closed one due to Covid 19 and will be live stream on The Voice of Caye Caulker, we ask you to please log in for the historic moment.

Join your Area Representative Hon. Andre Perez, our Prime Minister Hon. John Briceno and Hon. Micho Chebat Minister of Health and Wellness. Thank you.



A New Polyclinic in the Works for Caye Caulker

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 Brice�o, 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."

Channel 5

ARRIVAL OF THE PRIME MINSTER THE RT. HONORABLE JOHN BRICE�O AND MINISTER OF HEALTH HONORABLE MICHO CHEBAT



IMPROVED HEALTH AND WELL BEING FOR THE PEOPLE OF CAPE CAULKER GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE NEW HEALTH CLINIC

The ground-breaking for the new health clinic for Caye Caulker is a step towards fulfilling the Plan Belize promise of improved health and well being for the people of Belize, specifically for the people of Caye Caulker.

Area Representative Hon. Abner Andre Perez alongside the Prime Minister of Belize Hon. John Briceno and the Minister for Health and Well-Being Hon. Michel Chebat reveal the plans for the new health centre for Caye Caulker. The infrastructure development is one long-awaited for the people of this island community. For years, Caye Caulker has clamoured for the attention of improved health services for its people. Today, that call is being answered.

In just nine months after being elected as the Area Representative for Belize Rural South, Hon. Perez noted, "I am pleased to tell my people of Caye Caulker that this ground-breaking is the start of a fulfilment of promise... action being taken on the construction of the first phase of the Caye Caulker Health Centre. You, Our People will no longer have to fear that being ill means a long travel to the City or San Pedro just to receive critical medical care."

This first phase of the construction of the entire ground floor facilities will be equipped with the amenities of a pharmacy, triage room, asthma bay, treatment room, consultations rooms, observation rooms, sterile room, waiting areas, restroom and facilities for staff and visitors, a laundry room, utility room and waste disposal and storage facilities. The construction is being completed via the Belize Social Investment Fund (BSIF) for a total of almost BZD$1.4Million and with construction slated to last nine (9) months. The contractor for the project is Julio Magana of Triple E Construction.

The subsequent phases, depicted in the attached pictures, will be included at the time of the construction of the second floor and ancillary items, that will include site fencing, reinforced concrete parking stalls, reinforced concrete helipad etc. This will be funded in a future initiative.

Live: JOIN US TO CELEBRATE THE OFFICIAL GROUND BREAKING OF THE NEW CAYE CAULKER POLY CLINIC



Official groundbreaking for the new Caye Caulker Polyclinic. Photos by the San Pedro Sun

Caye Caulker Gets Its Clinics

For years, Caye Caulker residents and visitors have had to suffice with a woefully inadequate health center that only provided limited services. They had to hope that they didn't have any major medical emergencies, because then they'd have to endure the hour long boat ride to Belize City to get proper attention. But all that will change soon because the new Caye Caulker Health Clinic is supposed to begin construction in two weeks. Today, the ground was broken and residents across the island let out a sigh of relief, knowing they'll soon have a proper clinic. Courtney Menzies was at the ceremony, and has this story.

Caye Caulker residents will have one less thing to worry about with the construction of a new health center. In the past, they were forced to transfer patients via boat in emergencies, sometimes even in rough and storm seas. But ground was broken today and in about a year's time, they can expect the center to be opened.

The chairlady explained what a relief this new project is to the residents especially since they've been working on it since 2017.

Seleny Villanueva Pott, Chairlady, Caye Caulker
"In my speech I shared some encounters of when we have to transfer patients via boat, to know that that will change very soon is heartwarming and to know that the entire community from all ages will benefit from this is beyond exciting."

"We've seen our emergency system evolve because first it was primarily by boat but with the assistance of our area rep, Andre Perez, we now have BERT flying in and out especially in the daytime so we've transition far and to know the project is just about to happen, it's great for us."

"I believe the community will be better prepared, we will not have to have the transfer as such, we will not have to transfer the patients at nighttime because that's our main concern, not only for the person being transferred but also for safety reason. We're so used to boating it at night with patients but to know that they may be able to get the medical attention they need here at home is comforting."

And as the area rep pointed out, this project was long overdue, especially in a much visited village - where both locals and tourists go to enjoy the sun and sea.

Hon. Andre Perez, Area Rep, Belize Rural South
"We break ground as a symbol of the start of this very important project. Caye Caulker has always been known as La Isla Carinosa but we all can attest and it is a act that the past 15 years, it was abandoned and neglected with very little to no essential services being made available to the people of this island. The neglect was so bad that even the SSB closed its doors a couple of years ago, adding insult to injury. But yet the people of this amazing village worked tirelessly and diligently continuing to contribute significantly to the economy of our country. The fishing industry has been thriving as lobster and crab claws are the signature hallmark of Caye Caulker all thanks to the passion and dedication of the fisher folk of this island."

"And so today it marks the symbolic start of giving back to Caye Caulker what is had justly earned and what it deserves."

But this project almost didn't happen, since the previous administration couldn't identify a proper location. That's when the then village council went to work, giving up the area they had selected for a sport center. And even though there was a lull in the project - followed by the pandemic - the work is finally starting.

Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I'm excited to finally be able to look to the citizens of Caye Caulker and said we will start the building of the clinic. As we mentioned earlier, we were almost at the point of losing that money but we want to thank the village council who quickly thought on their feet and said that they will use a portion of this area that was designated for a sports center, so we want to thank them. And also to say that we want to continue to work and to bring more development to the people of the village."

The Minister of Health outlined the services the island residents can now expect to benefit from.

Hon. Michel Chebat, Minister of Health
"This rapidly growing community has outgrown the current health center. There is no room for expansion, nor a proper emergency and observation room. Caye Caulker is one of Belize's prime tourist destination therefore it deserves adequate health care facility for both residents and visitors. This groundbreaking ceremony is the beginning of the process of making this a reality."

"The ever increasing threat of non communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heat disease, cancer, and mental health conditions require a robust primary care system to address these deadly condition. This health facility will make a difference in the early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of these conditions. Other services that will be provided include maternal and child health, out patient consultation, emergency care, mental health and services related to vector control and public health."

The funding for the clinic is through a loan by the Caribbean Development Bank, through the Social Investment Fund. The value is at 1.4 million dollars.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is committed to its goal to provide accessible and affordable healthcare to the Belizean people. We are happy to report that the construction of the new Caye Caulker Health Center has begun.

Hon. Andre Perez: Good newsfrom beautiful Caye Caulker! I dropped by yesterday and I am happy to see that work is moving quickly on the community's health center!!

Hon. Andre Perez stops by the under construction Caye Caulker Health Center. The Minister of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation & Belize Rural South Area Representative states that it is the GOB hope that by June 2022 the Health Center will be fully operational.

Hon. Andre Perez
Touched down in Caye Caulker today and had the opportunity to do short site visit to the upcoming Caye Caulker health Clinic.

After my last visit it gives me great joy to see much more progress coming along for the completion of the clinic and we're right on schedule!