Port Loyola Polyclinic Closed Indefinitely

It’s been months since the Port Loyola Polyclinic shut its doors and for residents on Belize City’s southside, the impact is being felt every day. The closure was triggered by a serious mold infestation, and while the Ministry of Health says it’s working on a solution, there’s still no clear timeline for reopening. In the meantime, nearby clinics are stepping in, but they’re already stretched thin. Today, we asked Health Minister Kevin Bernard when residents can expect to access essential services again, and what they’re supposed to do until then.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness

“There were some structural issues. Budget was read late. We have to bear that in my government budget was released until after June. And so we are working on the, on the scope whether we build a new facility or renovate. I know the CEO has been working on a project plan. The project unit has been working on that. I cannot give you a specific timeline yet, but I know that it is hope that we could get on with that work very soon. Because it’s urgent, it does support a huge population in that area. For the meantime, those persons have to access care In the other facilities in the district. But it is our interest to ensure that we get the Port Loyola clinic back up and running pretty soon. It’ll take some time, of course because if we have to reconstruct, then it’ll have to go through its whole process of tendering and getting the bids out and if we we’re going to renovate, then we have to also look at the existing structure, which have already been condemned. So we may have to rebuild Port Loyola. And so with that option, it will take us some time. In the meantime, again, we continue, we have to ensure that we can provide that service to the other facilities that we have in the Belize district.”