Belize City, Belize, May 16, 2025 (PAHO) – Marking another major milestone in the Health Sector Support Programme Belize Project, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the European Union (EU) officially handed over the newly retrofitted Central Medical Laboratory (CML) to the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW). The laboratory, now designated a ‘Smart Health Care Facility,’ has been upgraded to be safer, more resilient, and environmentally sustainable.
As Belize’s national clinical, diagnostics, and reference laboratory, the CML plays a critical role in providing diagnostic services and technical support to regional and local laboratories in the country. However, years of deterioration, hazardous conditions, and even a fire in 2006 left the laboratory in urgent need of refurbishment to ensure it could continue to fulfill its national role as a critical component of the health system.
“The retrofitting of the Central Medical Laboratory represents a major step forward for public health in Belize,” said Dr. Karen Lewis-Bell, PAHO/WHO Representative in Belize. It aligns with PAHO’s mandate to build resilient health systems through smart interventions. It not only enhances safety and resilience but also ensures continuity of essential diagnostic services during emergencies. PAHO/WHO Belize is proud to partner with the EU and the MoHW in strengthening Belize’s health care facilities to be more climate-resilient and people-centered.”
With an estimated USD$800,006.67 investment, the CML underwent significant retrofitting to improve safety, functionality, and sustainability. Key upgrades included:
- Mold remediation and installation of a new central fresh air unit to improve air quality and reduce mold growth.
- Enhanced safety measures, including installation of showers, eyewash stations, and under-sink acid neutralization tanks.
- Green energy initiatives like LED lighting, inverter air conditioners, low-flush toilets, and low-flow faucets.
- Flood risk mitigation by relocating the main electrical room from the ground floor to the second floor.
- Electrical system upgrades, including new wiring, breaker panels, and cables.
- Water system improvements, including a water storage tank, a filtration system, and a solar water heater.
- Improved equipment access through the addition of a second-floor access door.
- Building refurbishment, including interior and exterior painting, replacement of broken tiles, new cabinets and sinks, new glass panels and doors, and a renovation of the outdoor staircase.
Additionally, the laboratory’s ground floor, which was inoperable due to fire damage, has now been restored, increasing the laboratory’s working space by 50 percent.
“I am very happy to be here today to inaugurate the renovated Central Medical Laboratory, as I can see the concrete implementation of the EU support in Belize,” stated H.E. Dr. Erja Eskola, EU Ambassador to Jamaica, Belize, and the Bahamas. “Everybody knows the importance of having a modern laboratory for analysis and diagnosis, and I know such a renovation means something for the populations who need to have access to improved healthcare and good medical facilities. I am glad to see that the EU is making a difference in this respect. The association EU /PAHO with the Government of Belize is a remarkable illustration of the importance of shared values among partners, as it can create opportunities to better work and achieve more for the benefit of the people. Over the last 30 years, the longstanding relationship between the Government of Belize and the European Union has produced many successes and built prosperous relationships.”
In the coming months, the laboratory will also receive solar panels valued at USD$318,437.88, which will further enhance its energy resilience and enable continuous operations during power outages or natural disasters.
“Actions taken by the Ministry of Health and Wellness to improve the laboratory services are not only limited to the refurbishing of the physical building,” shared Hon. Kevin Bernard, Minister of MoHW. “Efforts have also been made in the area of capacity building of the staff, reviewing Standard Operating Procedures and service protocols. These are necessary components for the laboratory services to move towards regional accreditation. In order to strengthen the laboratory services nationally, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has invested in recruiting more medical technologists in other districts.”
The CML was one of six health facilities in Belize retrofitted under the EU-Funded Health Sector Support Programme, implemented by PAHO/WHO in collaboration with the MoHW. With over 8.8 million Euros in funding, this is one of the largest health sector projects in Belize, aiming to build disaster-resilient and climate-friendly facilities while also strengthening the health information system and improving the structure, organization, and management of health services.
PAHO/WHO remains committed to supporting Belize’s health sector in becoming more resilient and equitable by collaborating with partners like the EU and the MoHW to “achieve a better quality of life, for all Belizeans, living now and in the future.”
