Dr. Giovanni Solarzano has now joined the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro PolyClinic II in the capacity of Clinical Coordinator/Medical Director as of November 16, 2012. Dr. Solorzano replaces Dr. Javier Zuniga, who has left to further his studies. Solorzano, a resident of San Pedro has been working in the Medical field for over 20 years. Most residents will know him from his private practice at the San Carlos Medical Clinic.
Before taking on his new position, he was previously employed by the Pan American Health Organization as a maternal and family child health consultant. Prior to this, he was employed at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) as the Deputy Director of Health Services at the KHMH where he was responsible for Quality Assurance. Dr. Solorzano told The San Pedro Sun that his employment relationship with the Government of Belize goes way back to 1991.
Dr. Solorzano came to the island for the first time as the Medical Officer with the GOB working alongside Dr. Otto Rodriguez at the then Lion’s Clinic. He moved to the island officially, in February of 1993 where he met and later married his wife, San Pedrana Gina Solorzano. Their union produced two sons. Their eldest son, Stefan Solorzano is attending Medical School while their youngest Ethan Solorzano is in his second year of High School in Belize City.
In his new capacity, Solorzano is responsible to coordinate all the functions of the medical doctors at the Poly Clinic; while supervising the junior doctors. He will also be responsible for overseeing the medical needs of Caye Caulker.
In just a little over a week at the PolyClinic, Dr. Solorzano is busy assuring that the projects started by outgoing Chief of Staff, Dr. Javier Zuniga and the Ministry of Health are realized. These initiatives include: expanding the services at the PolyClinic to a 24-hour service where a nurse would be stationed at the clinic to screen all patients that come in after hours and decide whether a doctor needs to be called in – and whether the incident is in fact an emergency; the expansion of the laboratory to provide other services including the hiring of a phlebotomist to assist with the laboratory services; the acquisition of another physician who would assist in making the 24 hour service at the Clinic possible; increase the training of doctors through a continuous medical education program and the hiring of two more nurses, as well as security personnel.
Presently, the PolyClinic’s staff includes: three medical officers, two rural health nurses who are also midwives responsible for the vaccination program, maternal and child health care; two practical nurses responsible for patient monitoring, vital signs and observations; two registered nurses; one dentist along with a volunteer assistant; the administrator, one receptionist, one laboratory technician, a certified pharmacist, an assistant pharmacist and two care takers.
Dr. Solorzano hopes to work with key stakeholders to provide the utmost care to the island’s residents as well as her visitors; “I am here, brand new second hand at the PolyClinic. I have been hired to do a job which I fully intend to do. My plan is to work hand in hand with the community, the people involved, the main stakeholders – including the San Pedro Town Council, Lion’s Club, Central Health Region, the Belize Tourism Board, the Belize Tourism Industry Association, the San Pedro Business Association, and the different entities that are willing to assist us; so that we can offer the best of quality medical service to the community of San Pedro. We appreciate very much all assistance offered to us.”
The San Pedro Sun joins the community of San Pedro in extending a warm welcome to Dr. Giovanni Solorzano and wishes him all the best at the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro PolyClinic II.
