Health - Channel 5 Belize

Mental Health, “One Size Does Not Fit All”

Talking about mental health publicly is still somewhat taboo, even though more people are opening up about their experiences. Defining mental health isn’t straightforward, but experts agree that emotions, behavior, and functionality are key factors to consider. It’s also important to understand that mental health exists on a spectrum, ranging from mentally healthy to mentally ill, influenced by current circumstances, long-term experiences, and medical conditions. Ultimately, help is available for those seeking support to navigate the complexities of mental health. No one must suffer alone. In tonight’s installment of the Five Point Break Down, reporter Paul Lopez takes a closer look at navigating the intricacies of mental health and mental illness. Here is that report.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

When punta rock artist Hubee burst onto the music scene, he was praised for his undeniable talent. He’s been making waves with hit songs like “Can’t Leff,” “Tell Them,” and most recently, “High Favored.”

Highly Favored

“Sorry to the people… and I cant be everything.”

In March, the music world was stunned when punta rock sensation Hubee made a startling announcement at the beginning of one of his performances. He revealed that he had just experienced a mental health breakdown moments before stepping on stage. The immediate reaction from the audience was disappointing, with some making fun of the situation and hurling disrespectful remarks. Hubee later took to Facebook to share more about the severity of his struggles, shedding light on the challenges he was facing.

However, the tide quickly turned on social media. Fans and followers flooded Facebook with messages of encouragement and support, praising Hubee for his bravery. This sparked a broader public conversation, highlighting that while awareness around mental health has grown, stigma persists.

Stigma Surrounding Mental Health

Miss Universe Belize, Halima Hoy, is a passionate advocate for holistic health and well-being. She’s been at the forefront of public awareness campaigns and has hosted numerous interviews on the topic. We had the chance to catch up with her at an event in Belize City and asked her why holistic health remains such a taboo subject.

Halima Hoy, Miss Universe Belize 2024/2025

“I think we often think that there is something wrong, or we attach a negative connotation to having mental health illness or mental health problems. So, often time people shy away from talking about their feelings, or we invalidate their feelings, like “why you feel that way bway, you should not feel that way and stop the think like that.”. But we need to learn to take a more professional approach, or just a more empathetic approach overall. It is on spectrum, and it can be something you cannot identify, to something that is extremely severe.”

Mental Health on a Spectrum

Dr. Nikhil Jain, a mental health consultant from the Center for Mental Health Law and Policy, delves into the idea that mental health exists on a spectrum, ranging from mentally healthy to mentally ill. He explains that mental health is defined by a trio of factors: our emotions, how those emotions influence our behavior, and ultimately, how they affect our overall functioning in society.

Dr. Nikhil Jain, Mental Health Consultant, PAHO

“I would not call it mental health breakdown, but if I am talking, right now my mind is actually working in certain directions. I might be a little distressed, because this is an interview and you are asking me some questions. You might not be, because this is your day to day job. But, something might happen and this can immediately change. What we are trying to understand is that mental health is not a static thing, it is more like a moving dynamic, it is a continuum where there are multiple situations which one might face. So that will the determine if the person is currently feeling stressed, whether they are facing a long term issue which might make them more distressed, an ultimately if provided with a predisposition, some environmental factors or some sort of genetical factor which is underlying and might actually push them to the verge of being mentally ill, what we define it as.”

In other words, the mental health spectrum covers everything from isolated moments of distress due to current experiences, to long-term issues that lead to health deterioration, and even medical conditions. Traditionally, mental health has been viewed mainly as a biomedical issue. But now, there’s a growing recognition of the importance of psychosocial and cultural factors in understanding an individual’s mental health.

Help Is Available

According to the Ministry of Health and Wellness, nearly twelve thousand people sought help for mental health issues at government-run clinics between 2018 and 2021. Every day, more individuals are reaching out for these services, says Ivette Quintanilla, the Technical Advisor at the Mental Health Unit.

Ivette Quintanilla, Technical Advisor, Mental Health Unit

“Everyday we are seeing patients coming in to access the services and after COVID we are seeing more persons accessing services and as we go along we are seeing more persons reaching out to us in terms of requesting mental health services. Mental health should be a practice everyday. Just as we encourage taking care of our body, we encourage exercise and good sleep, and other things to take care of your body it is the same way we encourage you to look after your mental health. It is what we call wellness or selfcare. That is what we encourage you. So we don’t have to wait until you are not coping with stress or different situations in life that may lead to the disorder. So, you don’t have to wait until you reach there to do something about it.”

You Don’t Have to Suffer in Silence

Whether you’re a public figure like musician Hubee or someone living a private life, it’s crucial to understand that mental health isn’t static. The factors contributing to mental illness can vary widely, and what works as a remedy for one person might not have the same effect for another. Dr. Jain emphasizes that suffering in silence is never the best response, especially in extreme cases.

Dr. Nikhil Jain

“What we usually see is that I depend on my own resilience, I can do it and move forward, maybe push on my own with more. That is something that does not always work. In some cases where there is a small trigger, a stressful condition, all of us bounces back to our normal life. Sometimes when there are engrained conditions the person is facing they usually need help. This help can be an informal peer support, a formal specialist care, psychological care, psychosocial care, it could be anting for that. It should not be just putting one person to be just strong about it, be more resilient, just push through and jump back. It is not always for all the individuals.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Five More Cases of Measles in Cayo

Belize has reported five new cases of measles. The outbreak started with two confirmed imported cases on April twelfth. News Five has learned that all five new cases are from the Cayo District and come from the same household. Today, the Ministry of Health and Wellness released a statement saying that after the initial detection, five more cases were found among close contacts linked to the first two cases. They also identified over twenty school contacts: twelve were fully vaccinated, five were unvaccinated, and four had unknown vaccination status. So far, fourteen samples have been sent to Mexico for testing, and all came back negative. The ministry assured the public that they are closely monitoring the close contacts of the confirmed cases to quickly detect and respond to any symptoms.

First Local Malaria Cases in 6 Years Detected in Cayo District

The Ministry of Health & Wellness has confirmed the first locally transmitted malaria cases in over six years in Santa Elena Town and Cristo Rey Village, Cayo District. This development marks a significant setback in Belize’s efforts to prevent the re-establishment of malaria. Malaria, a febrile disease caused by parasites and transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito, typically results in episodes of fever, chills, and sweating every forty-eight to seventy-two hours. The initial case was detected on January seventeenth, followed by additional cases on March eleventh and April fifth. Of the four confirmed cases in 2025, three are locally transmitted, while one is imported from Petén, Guatemala. The Ministry urges the public to remain vigilant and take preventive measures to avoid mosquito bites, as efforts continue to control and eliminate malaria in the region. On Monday, Doctor Melissa Diaz-Musa briefly addressed the issue of malaria.

Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa, Director, Public Health and Wellness

“Just to advise you that when we, as, ministry state that we have eliminated or we have received certification of elimination, many times, it doesn’t mean that there’s zero case, but you have fallen below a certain threshold. And we also W.H.O. looks at consecutive years of how the country has responded before they can determine whether that certification has been removed or whether we remain in certification. So it’s not a hard and fast one-off case and your certification has been removed.”

After 34 Years, Measles Case are Confirmed in Belize

Belize has confirmed cases of measles for the first time in thirty-four years. The Ministry of Health and Wellness announced in a virtual press conference that the first suspected cases appeared after Belizeans visited Mexico in March. Two people returned with symptoms like fever and skin rashes, and tests confirmed they had measles. This breaks Belize’s record of being measles-free since 1991. The patients are from the Corozal and Cayo districts and were part of a group that recently came back from Mexico. The rest of the group is now in isolation, being monitored for any signs of fever or rash. The ministry is urging the public to get vaccinated against measles, which takes about twenty-one days to recover from. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

Marion Ali, Reporting

After more than thirty years without measles, Belize confirmed two cases of the virus on Saturday. Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa, Director of Public Health and Wellness, said the group, from four different communities in Belize, traveled to Chihuahua, Mexico in January and returned on March thirtieth. The rest of the group is in isolation and showing no symptoms so far, with most of them being vaccinated. The patients are teenagers.

Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa, Director, Public Health & Wellness

“The details of the two positive cases are as follows: a 17-year-old male unvaccinated who started with fever, rash, and cough on April third. Laboratory confirmation of measles was received on April twelfth. The second case is a 17-year-old female unvaccinated who started with symptoms on April second. Laboratory confirmation of measles was received on April twelfth. All fifteen travelers have been interviewed by the staff of the Ministry of Health and Wellness and are being monitored regularly for signs and symptoms.”

Musa explained that they acted as soon as they got reports of patients with symptoms, while waiting for test results to confirm measles. These cases come amid a surge in measles across the Americas, with over five hundred confirmed cases in Canada, the U.S., Mexico, and Argentina. Although many people in Belize are vaccinated, the rate is still below the ninety-five percent target, especially in the Cayo and Belize Districts. The Ministry of Health is urging Belizeans to get vaccinated.

Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa

“The Ministry of Health and Wellness urges the public to ensure vaccinations are up to date, particularly for children. Parents, check your children’s vaccine cards to determine if their vaccines are up to date. Adults who have not received an MMR vaccine or who are uncertain of their vaccination status should visit a health facility to receive the vaccine.”

Dr. Natalia Beer, Technical Advisor, Maternal and Child Health, Ministry of Health

“Any unvaccinated person traveling abroad who come in contact with persons that may be infected with measles, more than likely will be infected with measles. We have so many flights in and out of Belize and if we look at the data in the U.S., a lot of destinations from Belize, they’re having outbreaks.”

Dr. Natalia Beer, the ministry’s Technical Advisor for Maternal and Child Health, urged everyone, especially those in certain age groups or with existing health conditions, to get vaccinated, particularly if they plan to travel outside Belize in the next month. What makes this illness highly contagious is that patients can spread it even before they show any symptoms.

Dr. Natalia Beer

“The person is contagious even before having signs and symptoms, so it makes it more difficult for one to say, I will stay away from persons that are ill with fever and rash. But the contagious period starts even before that. The high-risk group that we need to target now is unvaccinated children and teenagers, unvaccinated adults from 20 to 59 years, adults greater than 60 years, unvaccinated healthcare workers, immune-compromised persons, pregnant women, and populations living in communities with low vaccination coverage.”

Measles usually starts with symptoms like fever, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash that begins at the hairline and spreads down the chest, back, limbs, and the rest of the body. The illness typically lasts for about twenty-one days from the onset of symptoms. The ministry has started holding monthly mobile clinics in remote communities to give out vaccinations, but they’ve noticed that people are hesitant to get vaccinated. This hesitancy has increased since the COVID outbreak. Marion Ali for News Five.

The Effects of Measles Can be Serious, Even Fatal

The medical team stressed that people with chronic illnesses should get vaccinated for measles. Those with weakened immune systems are at risk of severe cases if they catch the virus. While many people recover completely, Doctor Russell Manzanero, an epidemiologist with the Ministry of Health, explained that those in vulnerable health categories can suffer lasting effects or even die.

Dr. Russell Manzanero, Epidemiologist, Ministry of Health & Wellness

“The very young, those who are older, pregnant women, those who have a weakened immune response, such as those perhaps living with cancer or one of the chronic illnesses that are perhaps not managed properly. Those are individuals who have weakened immune system, so those are the persons of concern of where the severity might be even greater. It varies from perhaps, we may have a lung infection, it develops to pneumonias, you can have inflammation and swelling of the brain, but these are instances where hospitalization rates perhaps are not that great. These are the severe cases. In that instance, if you do have a neurological complication that you do get a swelling to the brain, you might have side effects of hearing loss or vision loss, blindness. Yes, there are some cases of death.”

Health Surveillance in Place for Visitors to Belize

Health officials have increased surveillance at Belize’s entry points, like the international airport, cruise ports, and border crossings, to control the measles outbreak before it gets worse. So, even if you’re just leaving for a day or two, especially this Easter, be ready to answer a few questions when you return. Doctor Musa explained the process for people entering the country.

Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa, Director, Public Health & Wellness

“The process in Belize and in the Ministry of Health and Wellness is that we do have public health inspectors trained in surveillance at our borders and at the cruise ships. So, the public health inspectors have numerous roles when they’re at these border points. And one of the roles is in surveillance. And we have now, in fact – the regions are meeting today, and some met yesterday to enhance the surveillance. So, the enhancement basically means that we’re actively looking for cases, reaching out to people who have been sick because of course, a part of the public health inspectors’ duty at the border points, especially for the airport, is to look at the report that the captain says, “just prior to landing” identifying whether somebody is ill on flight, et cetera. And then we take action depending on that. But as Dr. Beer mentioned, we would also have posters. The public health inspectors do ask about fever. We try to identify early if there are any sick families in the group and we then give advice and isolate as needed. So, this will be enhanced. We will more than likely, depending on the regions – because not all regions, the response will be the same. The borders, of course, are a little bit – the land borders might be different than the cruise ships and the airports. So, we will adjust for each border and we will enhance the surveillance at those places.”

Ambergris Hope Hospital Inaugurates Blood Reserve

On Saturday, April fifth, Ambergris Hope Hospital celebrated a major milestone with the launch of a blood and blood products storage reserve on Ambergris Caye. The event was a big deal, featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony, free blood typing for the first twenty guests, vitals checks, voluntary blood donor sign-ups, public education, and even a pharmacy sale. This marks a huge leap forward for the island’s ability to handle medical emergencies and planned surgeries. The hospital brought together the Island Donors Squad and medical students from Washington University of Health Sciences to celebrate this game-changing improvement in lifesaving capabilities. Having a local reserve of blood and blood products means faster access to critical care. In emergencies, every second counts, and being able to start transfusions without waiting for transport to the mainland can be lifesaving. This new reserve will also cut down on the need for expensive late-night emergency flights. Beyond accident-related emergencies, Ambergris Hope frequently uses blood for cesarean deliveries, childbirth, laparotomies, and appendectomies. This new reserve is set to make a big difference in all these areas.

Belizean Nurses Await Benefits from Government

The Government of Belize has ambitious plans for the health sector over the next few years. At a recent meeting, the cabinet endorsed the Belize Health Sector Strategic Plan 2025 to 2034, which lays out a detailed roadmap for tackling key health system challenges. The cabinet also approved a retention package of allowances for public health nurses to help keep highly skilled nurses in Belize. We spoke with Andrew Baird, President of the K.H.M.H. Workers Union, to get his reaction to the news.

Andrew Baird, President, K.H.M.H. Workers Union

“I’m working as a nurse for the past twenty-five years and for the past twenty-five years, uniform allowance for nurses have been at three hundred annually. And if you look at the cost and living to today, three hundred can only buy us our scrubs. And but our uniform includes shoes. So the allotted amongst should be enough to buy shoes. What I know from it maybe raised from three hundred to five hundred also there is what we call a night. Allowance that is given to nurses. Then at this time it is fifty for every twenty night that you work, but you only get to work seven nights per month. So to reach twenty nights, you have to work at least three months or so before you could get that allowance. I believe that they want to raise that allowance to a hundred dollars or something like that, contrary to what the government might offer in our CBA, I believe we are asking for that a lot that night allowance to be monthly rather than based on the amount of nights that one work. So those are a couple of the allowances that I know that the government may have in their package. May so be that they may have a raise of salary for nurses, I don’t know, or a salary adjustment. But our last adjustment for nurses was in 2012 when we had that adjustment along with the nomenclature name changes throughout the nursing system. But I wait to see a document that the government is pledging to give as a package to nurses, to retain us. The retention of Belizean nurses is long overdue, but not only Belizean nurses, but nurses that works on Belizean a whole. What we have seen over the years is that because of the global demand for nurses, our Belizean nurses and nurses who work in Belize are being offered packages in the US, Canada, and the UK mainly. And those packages have signed bonuses, they find places for them to stay, and then the salary is very attractive. So the government has the match that if we’re going to retain our nurses to stay in Belize.”

Horse Abuse Cases Triggers Public Outrage

This next story doesn’t often make the news, but this week, it sparked enough outrage for people to demand action from the authorities. It started when a horse was found injured and starving in a drain, left to die. After a Facebook post about the animal went up on Wednesday, many Belize City residents called for stricter enforcement of animal cruelty and neglect laws. Since then, more reports have surfaced of horses being left tied in the sun for hours without food or water. Rescuers try to help but prefer to stay anonymous due to fear of being targeted. News Five’s Marion Ali spoke with two of them today and filed this report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

This heartbreaking picture of a horse left to die from injury and starvation in a Belize City drain has outraged many people, sparking a call for justice against those responsible. An animal rescuer we spoke with was furious when she found the horse, especially given the many stories of horses being abused by youths.

On the Phone: Animal Rescuer #1

“Wednesday afternoon, I was leaving my mom residence right around Benbow Street in the city and a vehicle blocked traffic. So, I was wondering what happened. So, I said, let me go and see when I looked, a horse was dead in the bush – in the drain, and I just lost it. I completely lost it. I lost it because I couldn’t believe that you always hear stories about kids riding the horses. You see them riding the horses. People complain on Facebook multiple times and like nothing is being done.”

But there’s hope. In this case, the animal rescuer called a police officer, who quickly sent a patrol to investigate. The Belize City Council also sent a dump truck to remove the carcass. Unfortunately, this was just one incident. The rescuer mentioned that there were three more cases of horse abuse and neglect the next day.

On the Phone: Animal Rescuer #1

“Thursday, which was yesterday, I got a call again on pictures from three different locations. One was in front of the education building. The other was at the corner of Cairo Street and Euphrates Avenue. And the other one was, I think, somewhere by Cemetery Road where horses are tied with no water.”

In another instance, a man found a horse tied to a lamp post in the scorching sun and took it upon himself to move the animal to a cooler spot under a tree. Another animal rescuer mentioned that abuse and neglect are so widespread in Belize that dogs are often the most common victims. She recounted a recent incident where a fellow rescuer was criticized for helping an abandoned dog.

On the phone: Animal Rescuer #2

“We had a situation where one of my volunteers kept passing this house and kept seeing this little poodle tied on a very very short leash, no shelter, no food, no water. She realized that she didn’t see any activity in the house so she started going in and feeding the poodle and give it water. Ih do that fi a week – still nobody in the house. She took the poodle out of the sun where it was suffering, no activity in the house, so she figured they just abandoned the poodle. She took the poodle home and the owner showed up about another week and a half later, and the blasted her on Facebook, and accused her of stealing ih dog.”

There are only a few animal rescuers in Belize, and they’re overwhelmed trying to balance work and rescues. They do it out of love for animals. They advise pet owners to take good care of their pets or not get one at all.

On the Phone: Animal Rescuer #1

“It’s just common sense. You know Belize, it’s hot. If we walk outside the street, outside it is hot, extremely hot. Simple thing as water – they just so simple water they could give the animal, put them in a shaded area. Many times, even with dogs, you pass on certain areas, even in the yard, fence yard at that too, they have a dog tied to a tree with no shelter, no house. Rain beat them, sun beat them. And like it’s just the basic norm, and that’s my issue. It is not normal because they have feelings just like any other animal. And just like us, just get a house and if you can’t afford to have an animal, just don’t have one.”

We’ll follow up with a story about the laws on animal abuse and neglect, and the penalties people can face if they’re convicted of these offenses. Marion Ali for News Five.

Excessive Lead Leads Recall of Outdoor Exercising Equipment

The Ministry of Health & Wellness is pulling back several pieces of workout equipment from parks across the country. These yellow and red outdoor fitness machines were found to have dangerously high levels of lead. This alarming discovery was made thanks to research and testing by Doctor Joaquin Urbina from the University of Belize, along with Doctor Adam Kiefer and Doctor Addie Buerck from Mercer University in Georgia.

Dr. Joaquin Urbina, Assistant Professor, U.B.

“Around October 2023, a group led by Mercer University came down to Belize, and in particular the group was interested in doing a collaboration with the University of Belize on a lead in paint study and they proposed a study done on outdoor gym equipment. They were, I guess, curious to find out what the led concentrations were and together with UB students and some of their students, we conducted the study. At the same time, they conducted a study along with us on how to carry out the study using what we call a portable X-ray florescence device which measures the concentration of heavy metals, including lead. We found out that a big majority of the equipment across the country had great amounts of led in the paint. There’s a lot of documented evidence and this is supported by UNICEF and other agencies across the world and they report that prolonged lead exposure may lead to some chronic symptoms as a result of the toxicity of led. But this is over a prolonged period of time. This may include dizziness, among other symptoms, even skin disorders. If the exposure is directly on the skin.”