Tomorrow the Matron Roberts Polyclinic 2 will officially be inaugurated. In August of last year under the health sector reform program, the Matron Roberts Health Center along with the Cleopatra White Health Center and the San Pedro Lions Clinic underwent renovations and upgrades to take them from being clinics to polyclinics, increasing the level and types of services they after. Now the centers are operating and taking in patients and we today toured two of the facilities in Belize City and found out what the face of health sector reform looks like.

Alfonso Noble Reporting,
Matron Roberts and Cleopatra White Polyclinics may today stand as the most tangible examples of health sector reform. From the minute you walk into the clinics the transformation is visible. And to go with the facelift and general overhaul that both health centers underwent over the past 7 months, the clinics directors say there is a corresponding shift in the way public primary healthcare is delivered.

Dr. Arturo Gamero, Clinical Dir. for Matron Roberts
"The changes in the infrastructure are conducive for a better work environment in here and that has been evidenced for the past last week and a half since we have been open in here. The new facility obviously conduces people to a feeling of well-being and the staff feels more at ease and more comfortable in this environment. So it allows for a better delivery of the programs that we make available in here."

Dr. Khalid Ghazy, Clinical Dir. for Cleopatra White
"The clinic before used to be like a half Bungalow/half open clinic because there was a clinic on this side and then there was a open spot on the other side. Now the clinic is operating with difference. Everything is air conditioned so you can come in here in a very comfortable environment for the doctors the nurses, and the patients. The patients now when they come they are really very comfortable. There is a lot of privacy for the patients to sit down with his own doctor and take his time to explain. I think the environment has really changed in this clinic and actually the morale is really high and the staff definitely are really concerned about this clinic. They try to keep it clean, they try to do everything necessary to keep good service for the patient."

But more than offering a comfortable stay while at the clinics the centers directors say that the new facilities allow for greater service to the public, expanding the role of the health centers.

Dr. Arturo Gamero, Clinical Dir. for Matron Roberts
"We offer services for about 12 hours in outpatient, general consultation, maternal and child health. We are also part of the NHI system. We have a clinic working in here and any other service that may seem necessary, or we may deem necessary, that we can offer-we will do so here. We are capable of maintaining people for up to 12 hours here for hypertension crisis, diabetics out of control, and other patients that may require hospitalization for short periods of times. If the problem can be resolved here in entirety then we will do so and discharge the patient. If not then we will refer them to the KHMH."

Dr. Khalid Ghazy, Clinical Dir. for Cleopatra White
"The clinic, because it is a polyclinic 2 right now, is not just an outpatient clinic. It provides an observation room which deals with asthmatic patients and minor emergencies like patients needing some observation for a while; patients who might be observed for a couple hours before we transfer them to the emergency room. The clinic also provides some specific clinics like hypertension and diabetic clinic for cases we can handle right here at the clinic."

But while the polyclinics stand to offer greater and more efficient services to the public, there is one thing that remains unchanged:

Dr. Arturo Gamero, Clinical Dir. for Matron Roberts
"Our policy is that we do not turn away. If we cannot solve the problem, we will direct you and refer you to where your problem can be solved."

But while these retrofitted clinics are now ready to receive any and all persons in need of their services, Director of the Central Medical Region, Dr. Jose Lopez says they come at some great sacrifices.

Dr. Jose Lopez,
"We had to house these places in different places until we could inaugur2ate these places and move in and it was for about a period of 4 to 6 months that we were out of here but I think it was worth while the waiting."

And while indeed it was worth waiting for, now these new facilities have poised themselves to be serious contenders in the delivery of healthcare in a system that is increasingly populated by private providers.

Dr. Jose Lopez,
"In a certain way we are competing with the private healthcare for the patient and I think ultimately the patients will decide. There are patient satisfaction surveys which go out, there are also other kids of survey to see how well we are working and I think with the pilot project on the south side we have done well; the surveys have shown that. But basically we are not about competing. Basically, what we are is service oriented and we want to give us as much service as we can to our people. What it means is hopefully better attention and better healthcare for the people in the Belize District."

Coming in at a cost of some $800,000 for Matron Roberts and $700,0000 for Cleopatra White that had better be the case.

Though they are operational, Cleopatra White and the San Pedro Lions Clinics will be officially opened in the upcoming weeks.