Posted: Friday, January 31, 2025. 9:38 am CST.
By Wilder Gonzales: In Silk Grass Village, the residents have been unable to access health services consistently due to the absence of a designated building for use by the Ministry of Health and Wellness. The absence of a health post left the residents with limited options for medical care. For many, the only choices were to travel to distant public health facilities in Dangriga or Hopkins, or turning to private, expensive clinics. This placed an immense financial burden on families, especially for basic health services that could be provided for free by the Ministry of Health (MOHW).
Recognizing this challenge, the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) partnered with Humana People to People Belize in 2023 through the Silk Grass Community Hub, one of seven Community Hubs in Stann Creek and Toledo districts supported by the European Union, to serve as a site for mobile health clinics. Twice a month, medical professionals from the Dangriga Polyclinic visit Silk Grass Village to offer essential services such as medical checkups, dengue and malaria testing, and even emergency referrals. This collaboration is a game-changer for the community, bringing crucial healthcare services directly to those who needed them the most.
Ana Sosa, a 34-year-old resident of Silk Grass, reflected on how transformative these mobile clinics have been for her and others in the village. “Having health services here in Silk Grass is good because people don’t have to go far to get a medical checkup. If the clinic wasn’t here, I would have had to travel to Dangriga or even Belmopan, which would have cost me at least $50,” she shared. This cost saving is significant for many families in the community, where every dollar counts.
The partnership between the MOHW and the Community Hub didn’t just fill a gap in healthcare services; it created a vibrant center where residents could come together, access health care, and learn about other resources available at the hub. The hub, typically a space for various community activities, quickly became a critical health outpost. The Hub Host, the person tasked with managing the centre, also played a pivotal role by mobilizing community members, ensuring that everyone knew when the mobile clinic would be held and encouraging people to take advantage of the services.
Since the partnership, 163 individuals have benefited from the clinics. “We have a good number of visitors every time we conduct a clinic,” said a healthcare worker from the Dangriga Polyclinic. “The most common services people come for are doctor checkups for pain and discomfort, or common viruses like the flu or respiratory issues.”
Ana, like many others, hopes that a permanent health post will one day be established in Silk Grass. “Clinics like this should continue because it benefits the community when we are in need of seeing a doctor but we still need a permanent clinic with a full-time doctor,” she expressed.
This story is just one example of how the collaboration between the MOHW and the Community Hubs is making a lasting impact. By bringing medical care closer to home, families no longer face the difficult choice between paying for private care or traveling long distances. The project has not only improved access to healthcare services offered by MOHW, but has also fostered a greater sense of community, where health and well-being are prioritized.
While the health mobile clinics are making a tremendous difference, the need for a permanent health center remains. Silk Grass Village, like many rural areas, still faces challenges in accessing consistent, affordable healthcare. The ongoing support of initiatives like the partnership with MOHW and HPPBZ thanks to financial assistance by the European Union, combined with long-term infrastructure investments, is essential to ensure that all residents can access the services they need without unnecessary hardship.
Supporting the right to health is a key priority for the European Union in Belize. The EU is contributing to strengthening the structure, organization and management of health services, policy development and improving the health information system, with the overall intent to improve the health services for the population. At the heart of the EU partnership for health are also the people who make up the system and much of the EU’s support goes to building the capacity of health administrators and health personnel. In decades of partnership with Belize, the European Union has supported the establishment and rehabilitation of health centers, polyclinics and hospitals. Upcoming major infrastructure projects in the health sector funded by the European Union include the renovation of the Central Medical Laboratory of Belize and the establishment of a polyclinic in Duck Run 1 in Cayo to serve that and surrounding communities.
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The post Bringing health care closer to the people: A lifeline for a rural community appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Friday, January 31, 2025. 9:38 am CST. Photo credit: Humana People to People Belize By Wilder Gonzales: In Silk Grass Village, the residents have been
The post Bringing health care closer to the people: A lifeline for a rural community appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.