KHMH Celebrates 31st Anniversary with Ward Expansions

For thirty-one years, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital has cared for Belizeans from across the country, but this week, the hospital is celebrating the people who make that care possible. Staff members are taking center stage as KHMH recognizes their service, commitment and contribution to Belize’s public healthcare system. Prime Minister John Briceño joined today’s activities, which also included the official opening of two new hospital units. Shane Williams reports on the milestone and the workers behind it.

 

Shane Williams, Reporting

For thirty-one years, KHMH has provided critical care found nowhere else in Belize. This week, the hospital is celebrating the staff who keep those services running. Prime Minister John Briceño joined today’s anniversary activities and helped open two new units, including an expanded Hemodialysis Unit. Manager Michelle Casimiro says the service had operated in the same space for fifteen years.

 

Michelle Casimiro, Hemodialysis Unit Manager, KHMH

“KHMH is a national referral hospital. We serve the whole entire public. We serve the whole entire country, so every patient that is affected by kidney failure, some sort of renal insufficiency, we have to see those patients, and so the space was necessary.”

 

With eight dialysis machines and space to add seven more, the unit can expand capacity as demand for treatment continues to grow.

 

Michelle Casimiro

“We serve 21 patients for the government. That means the government pays two sessions for these patients for the week. In addition, we have patients, like I said, that are from other units that they are probably sick, they have infected catheters or they’re not feeling well and they’re hospitalized; we have to serve them. We have to give them treatment here. So we leave the extra spaces for them. So our demand is very – our service is on high demands.”

 

One floor down, the Physiotherapy Department is also managing a steady stream of patients, helping them recover from gunshot injuries, road traffic accidents, illness and other trauma.

 

Noel Avila, Physical Therapist, KHMH

“We provide mostly rehabilitation for people who suffer from injuries, any sort of ailments, whether it’s from disease or trauma, and we rehabilitate people. So that’s what we do at physio. Weekly the numbers varies, but I would say per day it’s like maybe between 20 and 30 I would say. Per day. And we schedule patients twice a week.”

 

With only five staff members, Physical Therapist Noel Avila says the team must carefully schedule each patient’s treatment.

 

Noel Avila

“We can’t see everybody all at once and we can only afford patients twice a week. If we had more staff, maybe we could facilitate more sessions for patients.”

 

Those challenges are part of a larger conversation about changing how Belizeans experience the country’s main public hospital. KHMH CEO Sherine Reyes says the institution is working to change its image but that also requires the public to be part of the process.

 

Sherine Reyes, Chief Executive Officer, KHMH

“We’re trying to change the image of the institution. We’re trying to have the public see us in a different light. Some of those staff has been the contributory factor to some of the changes that we’re having and we’re hoping that the public can also contribute in terms of giving us their feedback.”

 

Thirty-one years in, the hospital is celebrating its people, expanding services and confronting the realities of a national referral hospital, while planting trees looking forward to what the next thirty-one years will bring. Shane Williams for News Five.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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