Health Minister: “(We) can’t blame you…there is no smoking gun” regarding land for new University Hospital

Posted: Monday, August 26, 2024. 4:03 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: Opening today’s press conference, Minister of Health Kevin Bernard acknowledged that the masses cannot help but feel skeptical about the recent University Hospital debacle.

But in this case, he insists, “there is no smoking gun, there is nothing to hide.” The Ministry of Health and Wellness is advancing the national plan to reform healthcare by making it more accessible to, in this case, those from the West and South.

While Belmopan is centrally located and the home of the University of Belize which will be responsible for developing a teaching hospital, the Government’s technical team was not able as originally agreed to approve the building of hospital on the proposed site for various reasons.

The Minister asserted that the land is 15 minutes away from the nearest artery or main road and to build new access roads would take millions of dollars to put in utilities. In addition new access would require that a bridge be built over a creek that runs to the nearby river. This creek could not be blocked, otherwise it would cause flooding in the area.

That settled, the Ministry began looking for suitable property and found the two parcels of land along the roadside on the George Price Highway, which the Government is buying for $6.9 million.

The Minister cited properties in downtown Belmopan that have sold for more per acre than the hospital land and said that the paramount concern is how accessible the new hospital would be to patients. There is no loss to the University as it keeps its own land and still maintains management of the University hospital when it is built.

The contractor has been nominated and negotiations are near completion with the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) Central Executing Unit.

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The post Health Minister: “(We) can’t blame you…there is no smoking gun” regarding land for new University Hospital appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.

Posted: Monday, August 26, 2024. 4:03 pm CST. By Aaron Humes: Opening today’s press conference, Minister of Health Kevin Bernard acknowledged that the masses cannot help
The post Health Minister: “(We) can’t blame you…there is no smoking gun” regarding land for new University Hospital appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.