Belize Takes the Wheel on Regional Health
The Ministry of Health and Wellness announced that Belize has assumed the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Council of Ministers of Health of Central America and the Dominican Republic (COMISCA). It places Belize at the forefront of efforts to tackle some of the region’s biggest public health challenges.
The handover took place during the council’s sixty-third ordinary meeting, where Dominican Republic Minister of Public Health Víctor Atallah formally transferred the six-month rotating presidency to Minister of Health and Wellness Kevin Bernard.
Sponsored by: RF&G Insurance Ltd.: “It Pays to Get it Right”
“Today, we transfer this responsibility to the brotherly people and Government of Belize with the confidence that they will continue advancing this path of integration,” Atallah said. “The Dominican Republic will continue to actively support this effort, convinced that regional cooperation is the best response to building more resilient health systems and protecting the well-being of our people.”
Bernard accepted the role and said Belize intends to build on that cooperation. “Belize assumes this responsibility with a firm commitment to cooperation and regional integration. Whether addressing non-communicable diseases, strengthening the health workforce, improving access to essential medicines and health technologies, responding to public health emergencies, or building more resilient health systems, our progress is greater when we work together,” Bernard said.
The presidency rotates every six months under the regulations of the Central American Integration System (SICA).