On Tuesday, March 9th, the Minister of Health and Wellness (MOHW), the Honourable Michel Chebat, handed over around $14,000 worth of medical equipment to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II. The equipment included one EKG machine, one suction pump, three infusion pumps, three patient monitors, and one laryngoscope kit. Chebat also toured the medical facility and witnessed frontline personnel receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Accompanying the MOHW Minister was his colleague and Minister of the Blue Economy and Civil Aviation, the Honourable Andre Perez, and the newly installed Mayor of San Pedro Gualberto ‘Wally’ Nuñez. Chebat met with the polyclinic’s medical staff, and Dr. Joshua A. Canul toured him throughout the facility. 
Chebat was also invited to see the process of administering the COVID-19 vaccine on frontline staff. He thanked everyone for their hard work at the polyclinic and those taking the vaccine. The vaccine rollout will continue countrywide by phases beginning with front liners, the elderly, vulnerable teachers, and police.
A Hospital for San Pedro Town
After the tour, the minister indicated to The San Pedro Sun that he is fully aware of the island’s healthcare needs. “This government is 
committed to putting together the hospital that has been wanted in this community for the past 13 years,” said Chebat. We are committed to putting that together for the people of San Pedro and Caye Caulker.” He did not give a timeline of when that would be.
The MOHW Minister added that the handing over of medical equipment to the polyclinic is part of the new process adopted at his ministry. According to him, they are visiting all health centers across the country. During these visits, Chebat will look at the state of the hospitals/ clinics and try to provide them with equipment, medication, and human resources.
Minister Chebat ended his tour in San Pedro to visit the Mar de Tumbo flu clinic, where they treat all COVID-19 cases on the island. Afterward, he and his team headed to Caye Caulker to see its health center and observe the COVID-19 vaccination process.
