In a world where health emergencies can strike without warning, being prepared isn’t just important, it’s essential. That’s why this week in Placencia, the Pan American Health Organization, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, hosted a powerful three-day workshop focused on Risk Communication and Community Engagement, or RCCE. The goal? To strengthen the ability of public health professionals and community health workers to communicate clearly and effectively during crises, especially in the face of threats like pandemic influenza. Participants didn’t just sit through lectures. They rolled up their sleeves and dove into real-world simulations, tackling outbreak scenarios and learning how to craft messages that are timely, culturally appropriate, and most importantly trusted by the communities they serve. This initiative is more than just training. It’s laying the groundwork for a national RCCE plan, a blueprint to ensure that when the next health emergency hits, Belize is ready to respond with clarity, confidence, and compassion. And as the country continues to face evolving threats, from natural disasters to infectious diseases, PAHO/WHO and the Ministry of Health and Wellness are making it clear: empowering communities through communication is one of the most effective tools we have.
It’s not just crime that officers at the Racoon Street Police Station are battling, now they’re up against a rodent infestation too. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith confirmed the issue during today’s weekly press briefing, saying exterminators have already been called in. But while pest control is on the way, there’s a bigger concern: how are officers expected to stay motivated while working in a leaky, rodent-infested building?
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
“The Belize Police Department, the Racoon Street Police Station is currently in the process of addressing a situation as it relates to rodent. The department has taken the necessary steps to address the issue and we are confident a resolution will be brought about shortly. We have contacted the relevant authorities and relevant experts int eh field to assist.”
Paul Lopez
“This is a part of a growing issue at the Racoon Street Police Station, leaks in the building, rodents, how are officers copping with this kind of working environment?”
ASP Stacy Smith
“Well I believe that rodents is a common occurrence in the city and the important thing is that it is being adequately addressed.”
It’s a product that’s gone viral online and is being marketed as a natural boost for men, but health officials are raising the alarm. The Ministry of Health and Wellness is warning the public about Royal Honey, also known as “honey packs,” saying they’re unsafe, unregulated, and potentially dangerous. Despite being promoted as a male sexual enhancement supplement, experts say Royal Honey contains undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients, and the side effects can be serious. We’re talking about everything from low blood pressure and allergic reactions to hearing loss and even vision changes. So, what’s really in these honey packs? And why are they still being sold so easily? News Five’s Paul Lopez takes a closer look at the ministry’s warning and what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is also saying about this trending product. Here’s that report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Royal Honey, also known as the “honey pack”, has become a trending product among young people around the world. It’s gained so much attention that even viral internet personalities like iShowSpeed and Kai Cenat featured it during one of their live streams, adding to its buzz online.
“Is that a honey back, don’t drink that, don’t drink it, no don’t drink it.”
The Ministry of Health and Wellness is urging Belizeans to steer clear of a trending product called Royal Honey, also known as the “honey pack.” While it’s being sold as a natural sexual enhancer, health officials say it’s anything but safe. According to the ministry, Royal Honey contains undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients, meaning you could be taking powerful drugs without even knowing it. And Belize isn’t the only country raising the alarm. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health have issued similar warnings. Despite the risks, the product is shockingly easy to find. We found a vendor selling it for just ten dollars a sachet on Facebook Marketplace. After a quick chat online, we were able to arrange a pickup right here in Belize City.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
“You have the product I have the money here. Alright, thank you. Ok so this is the Royal Honey or Honey Pack that the Ministry of Health and Wellness is warning the public against purchasing and consuming this product.
According to label it contains various ingredients, chief among them being honey. There are other ingredients that I can’t necessarily pronounce, but there is one I am familiar with that says ginseng. People, based on the seller’s information, people consume it directly. They also put it in a drink and in some instance they put in on food. And as is being described by the ministry of health, it is being recommended or advertised for sexual enhancement. It is a sexual enhancement product.”
Our seller informed us that the product is in high demand. Most of her customers are young men, drawn in by promises of boosted performance. But health officials are warning that this popular product could be doing more harm than good. These can be especially dangerous for people with existing health conditions or those taking prescription medications. A recently published Medical News Today article warned against the product due to its adverse effects. It lists several, including headaches, a drop in blood pressure, vision changes, hearing loss and long, painful erections.
Paul Lopez
“Yesterday the Ministry of Health warned people about this thing, it is a Royal Honey or a “honey pack”. It is something that the young people are using, mostly men, as a sexual enhancement.”
Albert
Albert, Orange Walk Town Resident
“Can I take this? I need a little enhancement because I the get old. I am not young as before.”
Paul Lopez
“But the ministry warned that it might have ingredients that is illegal or ingredients that might cause negative effects like headaches and it might give you an uncomfortable erection?”
Albert, Orange Walk Town Resident
“Hold yah then I don’t need that. Once a woman, I just smell my wife and I get deh kind ah way. The lone smell when she come around me. No.”
Paul Lopez
“There are many questions to be asked here, including how this product gets into the country, who is the supplier, what sort of checks and balances are at our points of entry ot vet and ensure these are not coming into the country and if you take it and experience any adverse effects, what sort of remedies can you seek, who can you hold accountable, where can you go demand relief or compensation. What sort of policies of policies are being put in place to protect against these unauthorized products in Belize?”
The Ministry of Health and Wellness has committed to answering our questions on Wednesday. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez
The Briceño administration says it’s using lottery profits to expand Belize’s National Health Insurance program. According to the Prime Minister, sales from the popular Boledo lottery have brought in about seventeen million dollars in profits—money the government plans to invest in making healthcare more accessible and reliable for all Belizeans. But the plan isn’t without controversy. At today’s Special Senate Sitting, U.D.P Senator Patrick Faber criticized the move, arguing that the NHI expansion mainly benefits private healthcare providers rather than the public.
Patrick Faber, U.D.P. Senator
“The government speaks of investing in hospitals and expanding NHI. Let us not get be distracted by the fanfare of NHI. It’s a hussle. NHI under the PUP is a hassle. They’re now rolling out NHI to Cayo. You see NHI in concept is not a bad idea. But what PUP does is take the money and instead of giving it to the public hospitals or the public clinics and have them use the money to best provide the primary are thars needed and then beef uo ehateer need to be beefed up by paying private entities, they don’t do that. They bypass the public sector and they give all the monies to private entities, private cronies, to help them get fat, to help them get rich. That is the PUP way and that is what they’re doing. This is a kind of retirement plan.”
There’s growing concern in the agricultural sector tonight as cases of paralytic rabies are on the rise in Belize. The Belize Agricultural Health Authority, along with the Ministry of Agriculture, is sounding the alarm, urging farmers and the public to stay alert and take action. Paralytic rabies is a serious disease that affects both domestic and wild animals, and it can be passed on to humans. The warning comes after a spike in infections among horses and cattle, raising red flags across rural communities. So, what should you look out for? Infected animals may show unusual behavior, nervousness, aggression, excessive drooling, trouble eating or swallowing, and eventually, death. Authorities are urging everyone to handle sick animals with extreme caution, as the virus spreads through saliva. To protect your animals, and yourself, BAHA is advising that all pets and livestock be vaccinated by a licensed vet. They’re also reminding the public to keep animals confined to their property and avoid leaving food or garbage out, which could attract wild animals. If you suspect a case of rabies, don’t wait, report it immediately to BAHA’s Animal Health Department. Early action could save lives.
There was a moment of concern in the House today during the budget debate when Opposition Leader Tracy Taegar-Panton suddenly paused her presentation. She appeared lightheaded and had to step away from the podium, prompting a brief medical check. The break lasted about half an hour, but in true resilient fashion, she returned to finish her remarks. Afterward, we caught up with her to talk about the experience. Here’s what she had to say.
Tracy Taegar Panton
Tracy Taegar Panton, Leader of the Opposition
“I had surgery recently on my right leg and I have not tested it in terms of standing for that length of time. I have been healing. I am in therapy. But the pain had become so excruciating that I had to take a break, I had to sit down. Hence the reason I had to take a break.”
Paul Lopez
“There were moments you were overheard saying you were going to faint and you felt light headed.”
Tracy Taegar-Panton
“I was feeling lightheaded. I was unsteady on my feet and that was caused by the pain. I needed to take a break. I didn’t want to have a major incident during my first official appearance where at the house rebutting the budget, so I thought it was best to ask for a break so that I can reset. I am human, I am not a machine. I have an injury that needs time to heal. I cannot stand on my feet for two hours. It is the first time I have tested it since having the procedure on my leg.”
The Ministry of Health and Wellness is turning up the volume on a quiet but serious health threat—too much salt in our diets. With the launch of its “Shake the Salt Habit” campaign, the ministry is encouraging Belizeans to cut back on sodium under the theme “Less Salt, Better Health.” The goal? To reduce the rising number of deaths linked to noncommunicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes. As part of the campaign, the ministry hosted the Shake the Salt Forum at Old Belize, where they also unveiled a new educational video aimed at food vendors, a key step in changing how salt is used in everyday meals. We spoke with Robyn Daly, Technical Advisor for Nutrition at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, who shared more about this important initiative.
Robyn Daly
Robyn Daly, Technical Advisor for Nutrition, MOHW
“One of the main strategies is to use less. So we highlighted the excessive use of salt because many times they do bottled seasonings and you don’t see herbal based seasonings. So that’s one strategy that we are enforcing and encouraging, which would be to use more onion and garlic, cilantro, that kind of thing. Refrain from using a lot of bottled seasonings. Also, make sure that your food isn’t cooked with a lot of fat as well. We highlighted fat today as well. In terms of food preparation, making food prepared in a healthier way. So the type of fat used. We also discussed individual portions as well, and we also touch sugar. But salt is an important part of the entire campaign because of the fact of heart disease. Heart disease is the number one cause of mortality in the country. So we share statistics on that. And we also highlighted that when we look at what causes heart disease, hypertension is a major risk factor. What causes hypertension? There is a major risk factor, again with the diet, having high sodium or high salt diets. So there is a link overall looking at NCDs and looking at how we can use nutrition to help manage NCDs in terms of less salt, less sugar, less fat, better food preparation.”
Belize City came alive this morning with the sound of sirens—not for an emergency, but in celebration. Emergency service teams from across the country gathered to kick off International Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week with a vibrant parade through the streets. Running from May 18th to 24th, EMS Week is a global tribute to the everyday heroes who provide lifesaving care on the frontlines. This year’s theme, “We Care. For Everyone.”, highlights the compassion and commitment of EMS professionals who serve their communities around the clock. The public is encouraged to take a moment this week to recognize and thank the paramedics, EMTs, and first responders whose dedication often goes unseen but never unappreciated.
Health officials have confirmed a measles outbreak in the Spanish Lookout area, with seven cases already identified and more under investigation. The Ministry of Health and Wellness says the first two lab-confirmed cases were detected on April twelfth. Since then, five more people, linked to one of the original patients, have been clinically diagnosed. In response, health authorities have ramped up surveillance and are urging the public to follow vaccination guidelines. This afternoon, Doctor Melissa Diaz-Musa, Director of Public Health & Wellness, briefed reporters on the latest efforts to contain the growing measles outbreak. With confirmed cases rising and more under investigation, health authorities are stepping up their response and urging the public to stay vigilant and get vaccinated.
Melissa Diaz-Musa
Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa, Director of Public Health & Wellness
“On April twenty-seventh, we sent out an update in terms of what we were finding on the ground and we had found five, additional epidemiologically linked cases. So that was linked to one of the laboratory-confirmed cases. So it was in the same family and these people were, again, isolated. Since April twenty-seventh, we have continued to do our heightened surveillance, we continued to send laboratory samples for testing. Dr. Beer can say… I see you have fifty-four samples that have been sent so far and the only two laboratory confirmed were the ones hat we reported on. Moving forward now to what has happened over the last few days. On Friday, May ninth, we were informed that there was someone with fever and rash at a facility in the Spanish Lookout area. Wea visited and we took samples for this person and these samples are in the process of being ran. We haven’t received the results as yet, but clinically, that person fits the clinical definition measles. In doing the investigation of that person and following the trail and where this person has been, again it’s linked to travel to Mexico. We cannot say that this new case that presented on Friday is an imported case because it appears that it is locally transmitted…”
Doctor Melissa Diaz-Musa revealed this afternoon that one of the confirmed measles patients has no recent travel history, and neither does their family. However, the individual is believed to have been in contact with someone who had recently returned from Mexico.
With measles cases on the rise, health authorities are stepping up their response and urging the public to stick to vaccination guidelines. The Ministry of Health & Wellness is reminding parents that children should receive two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, one at twelve months and another at eighteen months. Anyone over eighteen months who hasn’t been vaccinated should get two doses, spaced a month apart. If you’ve only had one shot, a booster is recommended. And if you’re unsure of your vaccination status, health officials say it’s safest to get one dose. As for travel to Spanish Lookout, the center of the current outbreak, the Ministry is advising the public to proceed with caution.
Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa, Director of Public Health & Wellness
“It urges caution when visiting the area if you are unvaccinated. So if you are vaccinated, feel free to visit the area. If your children are vaccinated, feel free. We want to stress that it’s the unvaccinated who are the persons at risk. So if you are not vaccinated please take caution, please ensure that especially the at-risk kids, children five and under, if you are not vaccinated, talk to us, ask us to clarify any questions or concerns. Ask us to clarify any questions or concerns that you might have about the vaccine and we would be willing to help in that regard.”
Unvaccinated people exposed to measles must quarantine for up to twenty-one days. Those who are vaccinated do not need to isolate. However, the MMR vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women or people with weakened immune systems. Health officials are calling on the public to stay alert and get vaccinated to help stop the spread.
