Belize Rallies to Eliminate Cervical Cancer

Belize’s fight to end cervical cancer took on new energy today, as health leaders and advocates gathered inside Saint Catherine Academy’s auditorium with a resounding message, this disease doesn’t have to claim another life. The Belize Cancer Society, joined by PAHO/WHO and the Ministry of Health, used the forum to rally the country around a national goal that experts say is absolutely within reach, eliminating cervical cancer entirely. Clinicians, partners and community voices spent the morning breaking down the stakes: prevention works, early detection saves lives, and Belize now has the tools to change the story for generations of women. With PAHO calling cervical cancer a preventable and beatable disease, stakeholders stressed that the moment to act is now, and that Belize has a real chance to lead the region in making elimination a reality.

 

Kim Simplis Barrow, President, Belize Cancer Society

“The Belize Cancer Society is hosting this cervical cancer forum and we partnered with PAHO/WHO and the Ministry of Health. Our mandate is to advocate, educate and also trying to inspire. This forum is bringing together clinicians, healthcare partners, advocates, and of course Ms. Michelle who has lived the experience.”

 

Dr. Karen Lewis-Bell, PAHO/WHO Representative

“Cervical cancer elimination is one of the priorities for PAHO. Our director has a disease elimination agenda and cervical cancer is one of the diseases we know can be eliminated and this is one of the priorities for PAHO. And so, working with the Belize Cancer Society to build awareness, to increase public knowledge about cervical cancer, how it can be prevented, what Belize needs to do, really fits in closely with our mandate.”

 

And as health leaders push for action, they say Belize now has a real chance to stop cervical cancer before it claims another life.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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