By Caribbean Medical News Staff
The Ministry of Health in partnership with the European Union and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) conducted a short ceremony on Wednesday April 15, 2015 at 3pm to officially inaugurate the National Vaccine Storage Facility at the Western Regional Hospital Compound.
The Ministry is proud to boost that through our partnerships we continue to maintain a minimum of 95% vaccine coverage over the last ten years. Vaccination services are provided countrywide at both public and private health facilities. While the priority groups for immunization are pregnant women and children under five years of age, all age groups are covered by the expanded program on immunization.
Following two recent evaluations of the existing National vaccine storage facility done by officials of PAHO, it was recommended to have the construction of a new facility that would be used primarily for the storage, unpacking and packing of vaccines and other immunization supplies. A new location was also recommended that it be on higher grounds for better management in the event of a natural disaster or in the event of an emergency high demand situation.
Under the Grant entitled: Strengthening of Critical Maternal and Neonatal Services in Belize, signed on July 30, 2013, approximately BZ $1,042,000.00 was used to construct the current facility that was completed in mid-January 2015.
This facility is a pre-requisite for continuing with the prevention of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, especially in vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant women and non-immunized population groups.
The inauguration ceremony included keynote remarks by the visiting Ambassador of the European Union to the Caribbean, Her Excellency (Mrs) Paola Amadei and Minister of Health, Hon. Pablo Marin.
This event also include a health fair at the same location from 9am to 3pm on Food Safety in conjunction with World Health Day celebrated on April 7th under the theme, “From Farm to plate, make food safe.”
