Central Medical Store to be Built Near New Hospital

The Ministry of Health is making moves to improve how medical supplies are stored and distributed across the country. Earlier this year, officials revealed plans for a brand-new Central Medical Store, a dedicated facility designed to properly house pharmaceutical products and medical supplies. Right now, the ministry rents out multiple locations, which makes it hard to keep things organized and even causes delays in getting supplies where they’re needed most. But that’s about to change. Health and Wellness Minister Kevin Bernard gave us an update on how construction is coming along, and what this new facility could mean for the healthcare system.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness

“Apart from just a facility we are going to improve that with proper inventory systems are going to improve that with better distribution processes. And that will ensure that we are able to then track inflows and outflows much easier as opposed to having suppliers holding certain stock and their own premises. We are gonna minimize that because much more of the bulk products then can come to the Central Medical store. The staffing will be then in one location. So  there’s a lot of different reasons why we chose to ensure that we have that. Again, bear in mind that when you look at Belmopan the future plan is that the new facility, the new tertiary facility will be right around the corner. And that will also be in much closer proximity and access to the hospital at the same time. But we are working on a proper centralized system so that we could ensure the efficiency and the  accuracy of our processes that we need to improve. I have always said this, that when I took over this ministry I am very much interested in digital transformation and part of digital transformation requires that you put in the systems that are needed. Yes, the BHIS has been functioning for what its purpose is, but we need a proper central medical store that will have the best adventure system so that we could have a good distribution process that the ministry can manage and can track progress, can be able to look at RAWA. RAWA does somewhat a similar thing, but it’s still not enough. And so we have to ensure that we can get that done for the benefit of the ministry, for the benefit of the IBelizean people who need to access the services.”

 

Reporter

“How’s funding coming along for the hospital being built as well?”

 

Kevin Bernard

“You are referring to the, the Saudi funds. Well, as you know, that’s through Ministry of Economic Development in teaming with the ministry. I know that the design phase have been finalized. They have a deadline, I believe, for September, October, so that once that is finalized and approved, we should be able to then start with the construction and I’m hoping that we can then really break ground by the end of this year.”