The Minister of Health, Hon. Pablo Marin, said that kidney healthcare is probably “the Ministry’s number one priority at the moment”. On Tuesday, May 25, the Social Security Board joined the fight against kidney related illnesses and donated , 000 to the Ministry of Health for the renovation of the designated site for the Haemodialysis Unit at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City.
Minister Marin said that the Government of Belize has been subsidizing haemodialysis
services for 25 patients at Belize Health Care Partners at an annual cost of $1.8 million. However, considering the fact that the number of patients requiring dialysis treatment continue to rise, the Government of Belize has been trying to identify a more permanent and effective solution to the problem. For that reason, Cabinet approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Health and the World Organization of Renal Therapies (WORTH). WORTH is a non-profit organization whose goal is to bring dialysis treatment to people in developing countries almost free of cost. Minister Marin said that the MOU will be signed by the end of next week.
The plan seeks to establish a haemodialysis unit at both the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and the Loma Luz Hospital. At the handing over ceremony on Tuesday, Chief Executive Officer of the Social Security Board, Mrs. Merlene Bailey-Martinez, encouraged Belizeans to think of dialysis only as a last resort. She echoed the Minister’s challenge to the population to practice healthier lifestyles. Minister Marin said that the most important thing is for us to eat healthy and drink a lot of water. He further elaborated saying, “We drink too much soft drinks. It is these little things that lead to big problems.” He hopes to direct more resources to the promotion of wellness which would decrease the need for tertiary care as a result of chronic diseases.
While the Social Security Board contributed the financing for the renovation of the ward at the KHMH, Minister Marin said that the Ministry of Finance contributed the financing for renovation at La Loma Luz. He said that everyone has a part to play in the improvement of healthcare in Belize. The easiest way to assist is to care for your own health.
