MOHW Launches Belize Health Sector Strategic Plan 2025-2034

Just nine days ago, the Briceño administration received a fresh mandate from Belizeans at the polls. Since then, Prime Minister John Briceño has reappointed Kevin Bernard as the Minister of Health and Wellness, with Doctor Julio Sabido returning as his Chief Executive Officer. Their first order of business? Launching the Belize Health Sector Strategic Plan 2025-2034. This plan lays out a vision for tackling key health system challenges in Belize. News Five’s Paul Lopez has more on this in the following report.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has unveiled its Belize Health Sector Strategic Plan 2025-2034, a transformative roadmap designed to bolster Belize’s health system. This plan is built on three key pillars: strengthening leadership and governance, creating an equitable system, and promoting healthier lifestyles. The vision is to achieve a healthy and empowered population, supported by an equitable, efficient, and high-quality health system. The mission focuses on improving system governance and service delivery, while fostering partnerships to address national health priorities. Leading this ambitious effort is Kevin Bernard, who has been reappointed as the Minister of Health and Wellness.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness 

“As the minister I want to see that we can achieve universal health coverage. I want to see that we can bring better service delivery to our Belizean people in health care, that as we roll out NHI that our people are benefiting from these services, we want to see more improved facilities across the country and that is my goal.”

 

Meeting the needs of a growing population with increasing health challenges is no task for one person. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Belize, followed by cancer and accidents. Mental health is also a top priority in the health sector strategic plan. To support Minister Bernard in bringing this plan to life, Doctor Julio Sabido has been reappointed as the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

 

Dr. Julio Sabido, C.E.O, M.O.H.W.

“We are determined to ensure that every Belizean, no matter their socioeconomic status or where they live, has access to quality healthcare. Today’s launch is not just the end of a planning phase. It marked the beginning of a shared responsibility. This success of this strategic plan depends on all of us, public and private sector, national and international partners.”

 

Among the international partners present at today’s launch were representatives from the World Health Organization and the European Union, showing their support for Belize’s health initiatives.

 

Xavier Canton-Lamousse, Representative, European Union

“This plan is built on the foundation of inclusivity, sustainability and innovation and it aims to transform the health sector for the benefit of all Belizeans.”

 

Dr. Karen Lewis-Bell, Belize Representative, PAHO/WHO

“Health is not solely the responsibility of the minister of health and wellness. Achieving the objective of the Belize Health Sector Strategic Plan requires collaboration across all sectors including health care, education, finance, social protection.”

 

Among all the goals in the strategic plan, the right to healthcare service stands out as the most empowering, especially for remote communities with little to no access. Minister Bernard highlights that this is where telehealth and telemedicine can make a significant impact.

 

Kevin Bernard

“Going into this term, our big agenda is to ensure there is telehealth and telemedicine. We want to ensure we reach the underserved population. We want to ensure that where we are unable to build a facility we can serve those people one way or the other. Talking about right to health, every Belizean have a right to access health care, at the primary care, secondary care and tertiary care level.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez