Belize City, Belize, 10 February 2014(PAHO/WHO)-
The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization(PAHO/WHO), the European Union (EU) and the Ministry of Health are working together to strengthen prevention and control of vector diseases in Belize and to improve the quality of and access to health services for mothers and children.
Under special cooperation agreements signed in 2013, PAHO/WHO, the EU and the Ministry of Health have been collaborating to:
– Strengthen prevention and control of dengue and malaria, under a 20-month project supported with €865,800.00. The project seeks to prevent and control vector borne diseases, thereby contributing to a healthier and productive population. It focuses on interventions designed to build the capacity of the vector control units and to strengthen participation at the community level using a Communication for Behavioral Impact (COMBI) strategy for an integrated vector management.
– Strengthen critical maternal and neonatal services, as part of a 30-month project supported with €2,138,769.66. The project seeks to improve the quality of and access to health services and infrastructure for mothers and children under 5, with emphasis on preventing maternal and neonatal mortality. This project also aims to address current gaps in maternal and neonatal services in order to build a comprehensive health services delivery network that provides care throughout the continuum of maternal, perinatal and neonatal health processes.
European Union Ambassador Paola Amadei will be in Belize on 13 February 2014 to meet with public health officials and healthcare providers and will visit Northern Regional Hospital, the National Laboratory Facilities, and the Vector Control Unit in the Orange Walk district.
PAHO was founded in 1902 and is the oldest international public health organization in the world. It works with all of the countries in the continent to improve health and quality of life for the people of the region. It acts as the Regional Office for the Americas of the WHO and is also the specialized health agency for the inter-American health system. The PAHO/WHO Country Office in Belize was established in the 1950s.
