EU and PAHO-Belize Partnership
This partnership between the EU, PAHO/WHO, and the Belize MOH will run for four years and will carry out joint actions that will address two specific objectives:
1. Develop efficient, effective, disaster-resilient and environmentally friendly health facilities
Belize is vulnerable to the natural disasters and effects of climate change and other weather-related disasters which may impact the capacity of the health facilities to withstand threats – this may lead to disruption of health services and ongoing health care for communities and health care facilities. The facilities are also intensive energy users and utilize more water, products, and chemicals than the average similarly sized office building. This grant will support the development of efficient, effective disaster resilient and environmental health facilities benefiting from the more than four years’ experience of PAHO’s and WHO’s implementation of the different funded smart health facilities in the countries of the Caribbean.
2. Improve the structure, organization, and management of health services
This component is focused on health system strengthening towards the achievement of universal health. The model of care and the organizational structure of the health system must adapt to the renewed focus on health promotion and prevention in the context of primary health care. This objective includes actions for strong resilient integrated and people-centered health systems.
The expected results of this joint program include:
- Six health facilities and one laboratory retrofitted based on the smart hospitals concept and climate-disaster resiliency;
- National multi-hazard management capacity enhanced;
- Integrated Health Service Delivery Network approach implemented in all regions, including primary care services;
- Health system re-organized with improved efficiencies and organizational management, fostering partnership with different stakeholders;
- National Nutrition Policy designed and promoted;
- Training in results-base management, strategic planning, and program budgeting and Monitoring and Evaluation system functional.
In the next five years, Belizeans will see the realization of several major projects of the Health Support Programme Belize that are being funded by the European Union. Towards this end, the following activities, among others, have already been achieved in the first six months of implementation of the programme, through the support of the European Union:
- A Refresher course forassessment of 24 Health Facilities for HIS & Green has been held
- Mass Casualty management Training conducted
- Incident Command System Training Conducted
- National Cancer Plan being developed
- Health Sector Reform Assessment Planning Workshop conducted.
The health sector in Belize is confronted with many challenges that are constantly evolving due to the introduction of technologies, emerging diseases, the burden of non-communicable diseases and the threats of climate-related disasters. Therefore, the sector must be strategic in addressing these challenges. Through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), and a 6.8 M Euros grant, the Health Support Programme Belize is being implemented to support the Belize Health Sector Strategic Plan (BHSSP 2014-2024) aligned with the Horizon 2030 National Strategy and the Belize Growth and Sustainable Development Strategy 2016-2019.
The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization, the implementing agency for the program is working very closely with the Ministry of Health to ensure the achievement of the programme’s goals and objectives.
Partnership News:
UPDATE TO PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON OCTOBER 26, 2020
PAHO/WHO and the European Union donate 100 pulse oximeters to the Ministry of Health and Wellness
Belize City, Belize, December 14, 2020 UPDATE: Through the reorientation of funds from the “Health Sector Support Programme Belize” project, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health…
Belize City, Belize, October 5, 2020 (PAHO/WHO) - Through the reorientation of funds from the “Health Sector Support Programme Belize” project, the European Union (EU) and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) donated 20 fire extinguishers and 19 smoke detectors to the Central Medical Laboratory of the Ministry…
Throughout the world, emergency disasters and accidents are becoming significantly more common. It is therefore essential that emergency response personnel are trained and prepared for any eventualities.…
The Project, funded by the EU in partnership with PAHO and the Ministry of Health will retrofit six health care facilities throughout the country
Belize City, Belize, 23 August 2019 (PAHO/WHO) — Six public health facilities across Belize are to be retrofitted to ensure that they are climate resilient thanks to a new project from the Pan American…
On Wednesday, 14 August, 2019, the Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the European Union (EU) handed over IT equipment to the Minister of Health, the Honorable Pablo Marin, and IT Director, Mr. Ian Smith, at the Ministry of Health (MoH) in the city of Belmopan.
This equipment was procured through the Health…
This morning Head of the EU Delegation to Jamaica, Belize, Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas and the Cayman Islands, Ambassador Her Excellency Malgorzata Wasilewska, visited the PAHO/WHO Country Office to meet with PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr Noreen Jack, and the PAHO team. Accompanied by Mr Nicolaus Hansmann, Team Leader, EU Technical Office in…
July 9, 2019 - Mr Nicolaus Hansmann, Team Leader, European Union (EU) Technical Office in Belize and Dr Noreen Jack, Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Representative in Belize handed over two (2) vehicles to the Honourable Pablo Marin, Minister of Health, in a ceremony at the Ministry of Health grounds.…