2 weeks ago
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The Belize Defence Force received a major boost to its medical capabilities following the donation of an ambulance and critical medical equipment during an official ceremony at Price Barracks in Ladyville. The donation was made by businessman Isaak Fehr through his company, Tonic Life, and includes an ambulance, an X-ray machine, and an Automated External Defibrillator, commonly known as an AED. According to the BDF, the new equipment is expected to significantly improve emergency response time and diagnostic services available to soldiers and surrounding communities served by the military medical unit. Commander of the Belize Defence Force, Anthony Velasquez, says the donation comes at an important time as the BDF continues strengthening its medical readiness and response capacity.
Anthony Velasquez, Commander, BDF: “We already identified a building and we just need to refurbish that building to the medical standards with the lead lined walls and everything else, right? So Mr. Ferr’s donation has really put us ahead of the game and we really appreciate it. I will continue to collaborate with him in the future. I already have trained persons, we have drivers, we have people who are trained as X-ray technicians and we have our medical doctors who can use the defibrillator equipment. Actually, aside from this donation, we have several personnel who are very highly trained who went to Mexico, to Guyana and other places the US and even the UK, and they’re coming back into the BDF and we’re developing a system with the Ministry of Health where we will have our doctors and our highly trained medical personnel on service to the other hospitals throughout the country. So we do have a high capacity of medically trained personnel. Mr. Ferr was vetted under normal conditions, you know the normal police vetting and as well we have had this isn’t our first interaction with him. We’ve had a lot of interaction with him over the past where our medical personnel worked side by side with him and alongside him and we have developed a relationship over many many months and this is the culmination of that relationship.”
Velasquez explained that the BDF’s medical personnel are professionally trained and equipped to complement the new resources and enhance the level of healthcare support available within the force. Meanwhile, Minister of National Defence and Border Security, Florencio Marin Jr., described the donation as a major advancement for the BDF’s medical unit.
Florencio Marin Jr, Minister of National Defence: “It’s a significant game changer for the health sector of our Belize Defence Force. As you know now they can do their own X-rays. I was just getting a tour, it is fully equipped with everything, it’s standalone. So the Belize Defence Force Hospital now can do its own X-rays. There is also the defibrillator for those, let’s hope we don’t have to use it very much for those who suffer heart attack and definitely an ambulance that will also be used within the surrounding area. So it’s not just for the BDF, but for the wider Ladyville and Lord’s Bank community. We have good service where we always have them to reach emergency, whether it is in the north if they are serving in the north or if they are serving in the south, or wherever. So we’ve always had some good system. This is an improvement.”
The donation ceremony was held yesterday at Price Barracks in Ladyville with military officials, government representatives, and invited guests in attendance.
English (US) ·