Just after Mother’s Day, a Belama mom is making a desperate public appeal for help. Bernadine Young says her twenty-four-year-old son, Brenton Bishop, is in urgent need of a CT scan—but she simply can’t afford it. Young shared that Brenton’s health took a sudden turn for the worse back in March. Since then, his condition has continued to decline. He now struggles to walk and suffers from frequent seizures. Despite visiting several doctors, Young says there’s been no improvement—and now, she’s out of options and out of funds. Her plea is a reminder of the tough choices many families face when medical emergencies strike without the means to pay.
Bernadine Young
Bernadine Young, Seeking Assistance
“Fi experience this kinda problem especially, is like a nightmare as a mother. It’s not very easy. I’m trying very hard to see weh di happen to my son, but he’s not getting any better. Because he’s couldn’t like he’s bone when he gets seizure, he couldn’t open up his hand, his mouth. I have to massage in his mouth with a wet cloth so his mouth could open up and we can make him drink water, eat or so. And it’s very difficult for me for every time he has to wake up morning, you see yo son di shake. If not that you, you just done give him his breakfast, he’s vomiting his food. Or you give him his medicine that he need to take medication like bendaryl and autrin but then it’s not working. Right now we don’t know where they happen, so I plead to the public out there, even to anybody, even if the Mr. Ladyville Highlight. Mr. Albert, if you could please. Here is outlook on this and on this program because I need help from my son and we want to see what happened. So he need a CAT scan. My phone is 635-5318. I don’t have any WhatsApp. I’m sorry. I can’t afford it. And right now I got things very tough. I lose my job. I have to take care of my son. I can’t leave him on the street.”
Belize is making strides towards workplace inclusivity for women. Public breastfeeding has long been stigmatized, leaving mothers without practical spaces. But today marks a change. Transparent BPO has opened lactation centers at their Belmopan and Belize City locations, providing safe, clean, and supportive spaces for breastfeeding mothers. News Five’s Britney Gordon visited the new facilities to get the full scoop.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Breastmilk is often hailed as a superfood for babies, packed with essential nutrients and antibodies crucial for the first six months of life. UNICEF recommends exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months and continuing with complementary foods for up to two years or more. However, maintaining this can be challenging for mothers returning to work shortly after giving birth. To address this, UNICEF, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and Transparent BPO have teamed up to create dedicated lactation centers for nursing mothers in the workforce. Angie Westby, HR Business Partner at Transparent BPO, shares how the idea for these supportive spaces came to life.
Angie Westby
Angie Westby, HR Business Partner, Transparent, BPO.
“Within our company we have what we call a suggestion box where our employees can go in and suggest and give us suggestions and we review and what we can make possible. We had a mother who had just returned from maternity leave and didn’t have a. Safe space for her to breastfeed. So she would go upstairs to our section and go into the restrooms and breastfeed. And I think that was a wake up call for us, that we need a space for our mothers so that they could feel safe and comfortable to breastfeed here at work”
Belize is making strides in promoting exclusive breastfeeding among infants, thanks to the Baby Friendly Workplace Initiative. This program, which includes the creation of dedicated breastfeeding rooms, aims to support working mothers in providing the best nutrition for their babies. Recent data shows that thirty-three percent of infants in Belize are now exclusively breastfed, a significant jump from the fourteen-point-seven percent observed in previous studies. The Ministry of Health and Wellness is committed to increasing these numbers even further, ensuring that more babies receive the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding. This initiative is a crucial step in improving infant health and supporting working mothers, making Belize a leader in promoting breastfeeding-friendly workplaces.
Robyn Daly
Robyn Daly, Technical Advisor for Nutrition, Ministry of Health and Wellness
“Some of our strategies would be looking at the marketing that is done to women because that affects breastfeeding. So when a woman is pregnant, sometimes they get exposed to, I would say to beliefs, that maybe formalize better than breast milk. It’s easier, it’s better, but it’s also not true. Breast milk is the best form of nutrition for that child. We also have efforts that we work along with private sector, which is what we see here today. Having supportive measures as having workplace support for women, because that helps us with our campaign and also with our promotion to improve breastfeeding in Belize, when we have good partnership, intersectorial collaboration, it helps us to achieve our goal of increasing breastfeeding.”
Transparent BPO and UNICEF have unveiled a specially designed room to support nursing mothers. This serene space features soft lighting, soothing music, and a comfortable chair, all aimed at creating a relaxing environment for mothers to bond with their infants.
Angie Westby
“We also have a cabinet full of amenities such as wipes Lysol spray to disinfect the area. We offer snacks and a little fridge so that they could store their breasts milk in between their shifts so that it doesn’t go spoiled. So we thought about every possible thing that we could implement. Internal wise, we have an internal system where they could go in and have different time slots available. So they could see when the room is available to breastfeed, they could book their room that way we don’t have any overlapping of mothers. And one good feature about the room is, we have a scan feature where only our mothers have access to it. They’re added to a distro. They go in, they scan with their IDs, and then only them will have access to the lactation room.”
The Government of Belize supports the creation of more spaces like this across the country. Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Belize’s Minister of Human Development, emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach to ensure the success of a new initiative. She highlights that a multi-sectoral and inter-ministry strategy is essential for the program to truly thrive. By bringing together various sectors and ministries, the initiative aims to create a comprehensive support system that addresses the diverse needs of the community.
Thea Garcia-Ramirez
Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Minister of Human Development
“We fully support it. We are going to encourage that other workplaces have similar spaces, safe spaces that make breastfeeding dignified. We want to make these spaces safe spaces, clean spaces, appropriate spaces where mothers can welcome their children, maybe perhaps during their lunch break, have the child come over breastfeed and then go where they can express milk, pump milk and have it stored, and then take it home and leave it there for the following days use or something like that. I think that this reduces the barriers, takes away at least one of the biggest barriers to women staying within the workforce.”
A newly created space for nursing mothers is setting a new standard in workplace support, reflecting a significant shift in societal expectations. Recognizing the vulnerability of women’s bodies after childbirth, this initiative aims to provide essential support and upliftment for both mothers and their babies.
Robyn Daly
“Stress can affect milk production and milk flow. So it’s very important for women to be stress free, I would say, and to be relaxed and also to have good mental health because that can affect flow and it can and can also put the woman at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder, which sometimes happen when women give birth. So the woman is, she really does need to be relaxed and anything that can help to promote relaxation and reduce stress is encouraged.”
UNICEF maintains that encouraging healthy relationships between infants and mothers leads to stronger family bonds and empowered societies. Britney Gordon for News Five.
Nurses are the unsung heroes of our healthcare system, tirelessly working weekends and holidays to care for the nation’s sick. Their dedication often goes unnoticed, and it’s not uncommon for them to skip meals to attend to their patients. During Nurses Week, the Fort George Hotel and the Belize Bank took a moment to honor these hardworking professionals by hosting a special breakfast at the K.H.M.H Kitchen. This gesture acknowledges the incredible efforts of the hospital’s nurses throughout the year. News Five’s Marion Ali was there to capture the event and share the story.
Marion Ali, Reporting
In a refreshing change of pace, nurses at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital began their day with a nutritious breakfast. These dedicated healthcare providers, who tirelessly advocate for their patients’ well-being, often skip their own morning meals due to the demands of their job. Today, however, they took a moment to practice what they preach, fueling up with healthy food to better serve their community.
Kereen Birch
Kereen Birch, Nursing Supervisor, K.H.M.H.
“Eating is important, but we find out that we do it afterwards because we are focusing on the person that’s in front of us that needs the care. Many nurses come to work and they have not yet eaten, and so they go straight into work and sometimes they don’t eat until lunchtime. So we thought that this would be a nice start to the day and offer some healthy food.”
In a touching gesture of gratitude, Fort George Hotel and Belize Bank teamed up to provide a healthy breakfast for the hardworking nurses at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Hotel staff were on hand at the hospital’s dining area, serving up nutritious meals to say “thank you” for the sacrifices these nurses make daily. The event saw over a hundred nurses from various units and departments come together, enjoying a moment of appreciation. Shauna Arnold, Marketing Executive at Fort George Hotel and Spa, expressed the hotel’s commitment to honoring the dedication of these healthcare heroes.
Shauna Arnold
Shauna Arnold, Marketing Executive, Fort George Hotel and Spa
“The Fort George partnered with the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital to kind of step away from our normal everyday activities to really honor and appreciate nurses and all the commitment that nurses have made to the hospitals, to our communities, to clinics, all of that, and to offer them this special breakfast. Through the work of the Human Resource Department here. I think they really brought us together. They wanted to offer something special to nurses, and with the quality of breakfast that we offer, I think it was a great opportunity for us to really showcase and really give back and share. The nurses, I think have made tremendous sacrifices for with their lives, but also for the community as well. I mean, whether it’s in time of crisis or just that steady everyday rhythm of helping other people and giving back. I think it is, it is time or it is due that we give something back to them, and I think it is only fitting. Some of them work long hours, or a lot of them work long hours. I think it was only fitting that we then offer them breakfast.”
Nursing Supervisor Kareen Birch at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital reveals that appreciation for nurses isn’t limited to Nurses Week. Birch shared that these healthcare heroes receive thanks in various forms throughout the year, whether it comes from within the institution or from everyday people. This ongoing recognition highlights the community’s deep respect and gratitude for the nurses’ unwavering dedication and hard work.
Kareen Birch
“Our efforts are always appreciated and recognized. Maybe not to the degree that some people expect, but there’s always some form of appreciation being offered, maybe not from the organization. Sometimes it’s just a patient that comes in. Sometimes it’s someone that you’re walking on the street might say a kind word. So appreciation is always shown just that it showed at different levels in different degrees.”
Breakfast is just the beginning of celebrations at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for Nurses Week. Sharine Reyes, the hospital’s Financial Controller, unveiled a packed agenda filled with various activities to honor the nurses’ hard work and dedication. From wellness events to fun gatherings, K.H.M.H. is making sure their nurses feel appreciated and celebrated throughout the week.
Sharine Reyes
Sharine Reyes, Financial Controller, K.H.M.H.
“It’s a full week of events. This evening we’re taking part in the float with the nursing council, and tomorrow we have our sporting day. So it’s a full week of event that the nurse have lined up. They have a committee that they put everything together. And due to the fact that we don’t have the finance to be able to do all of this for them, some of our sponsors stepped in. Yesterday we had a appreciation ceremony that all of them, well, all the units took part in and I think they’re, they’re really feeling the appreciation. Our nurses do do a lot of hard work. They’re here 24-7, sometimes their shortages and they take cover.”
The nurses will test their fitness capabilities during a day of sports on Thursday. Marion Ali for News Five.
This week, a wave of gratitude and admiration is sweeping across Belize as the nation celebrates Nurses Week. Clinics, hospitals, and homes are honoring the dedicated men and women at the core of our healthcare system, including midwives who touch every Belizean life from the very start. Today, a special ceremony at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital honored over forty nurses for their invaluable work in keeping us healthy and alive. News Five’s Marion Ali was on the scene to capture the heartfelt tributes and filed this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Today, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital dedicated an hour to honor over forty of its most outstanding nurses in a warm award ceremony. This event is part of the celebrations recognizing the invaluable contributions of healthcare professionals who tirelessly work in the crowded wards of the country’s busiest hospitals, clinics, and rural health outposts. CEO Chandra Nisbet-Cansino emphasized the importance of acknowledging these professionals, noting that such recognition serves as an incentive for their demanding and essential services.
“It’s important for us every year to ensure that we recognize them and we thank them and that their voices are heard. It’s now competition among not only the world, but within Belize itself – have a lot of healthcare institutions opening that are now hiring nurses. So we want to ensure that we get the best of the best nurses that the institutions are producing now.”
Registered Nurse Uriel Cowo joined the KHMH in December and has already had an enlightening first four months on the job. Although he needs to complete at least one year to qualify for an award, his positive attitude and dedication suggest that his name will be called in due course. Cowo’s promising start hints at a bright future in healthcare.
Uriel Cowo
Uriel Cowo, Registered Nurse, K.H.M.H.
“It has its challenges, but that’s within a job, right? What you need to look at is the type of profession that you signed up to be in. So I signed up to be a nurse. What that is – what does that entail? It entails me embodying what we call altruism, giving myself to others. If you can’t put others before yourself, then maybe this isn’t the right profession. I think the awards are important because it gives you a sense of recognition that out there they’re seeing us, that our administration appreciates us, and just a little appreciation goes a long way because we come here to do a job that I believe is very difficult. Not everyone can do the type of work that we do.”
Renita Pop, President of the Belize Nurses Association, showered praise on the nation’s dedicated nurses, with a special nod to midwives. “Midwives are the backbone of our maternal and newborn care services,” Pop wrote. “From the first heartbeat to the first cry, you stand at the very beginning of every Belizean’s life journey.” Her sentiments were echoed by Nisbet-Cansino, who wholeheartedly supported Pop’s view, highlighting the crucial role midwives play in the health and well-being of mothers and newborns across Belize.
Chandra Nisbet-Cansino
“We have a fairly high rate of deliveries, especially here at Karl Heusner, so they are the backbone of delivery at the delivery department. We were in a very significant shortage, but again, there is the program that has – we have quite a few graduates. I think it was about 20 that were graduating and certainly we hope to get some of those midwives here to help us bridge that gap.”
The Belize Nurses’ Association is inviting the public to show some love for their favorite midwife or “mid-husband.” In an exciting twist, three lucky midwives will win a cash prize, generously donated by Dr. Gilberto Landero, Dr. Veronica Rosado, and Renita Pop, the association’s president. This initiative aims to highlight the invaluable contributions of midwives to maternal and newborn care in Belize. Marion Ali for News Five.
Long before the COVID pandemic swept the globe, hospitals and clinics were grappling with a severe shortage of nurses. This issue continues to plague the nursing field in Belize, driven by an aging population, increasing burnout, and more attractive incentives in developed countries. Despite these challenges, Chandra Nisbet-Cansino, C.E.O. of Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (K.H.M.H.), assures that the hospital is doing everything possible to retain its dedicated nursing staff.
“There’s a global crisis; however, we now have programs within the country – nursing programs that are really helping us now to build back up our staff. The Ministry of Health and Wellness offers scholarships, and so that offers a lot of opportunities for nurses to study. And so, I think slowly but surely, we’re creeping back up to where we want to – not there yet, but getting there.”
Reporter
“Do you find that when they come here, they’re inclined to stay?”
Chandra Nisbet-Cansino
“For the most part, yes. Karl Heusner [Memorial Hospital] is the place to come for experience. Here you will get a little of everything, and then you have nurses that you know, further specialize or retire, et cetera, but the best experience that you can get as a nurse is to come to Karl Heusner.”
Earlier this year, the Cabinet approved a massive write-off of over $50 million in unpaid hospital bills at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. These debts had accumulated over the years, mostly from patients who had either moved away or passed away. Despite this financial relief, there have been complaints about stricter enforcement of payment for medical tests. Today, Nisbet-Cansino addressed these concerns, assuring the public that no patient in need of a test will be denied care due to lack of upfront payment.
“At no point is care refused at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital if you cannot pay. Yes, we do try to collect on some of the bills, but as long as you come, especially through the Emergency Department, or if you are on the unit and you need any kind of – whatever test we offer here, be it lab, radiology, that is provided to you without prepayment. Elective surgeries require prepayment, but not any other care that happens at the K.H.M.H. The Cabinet approved a write-off. That was in excess of $30 million, so we are now in the process of going through that, well, engaging the persons who that applies to and reaching out to them. So it’s a lengthy process because it dates all the way back to probably the nineties. So that is what we are doing now.”
Marion Ali
“And what system do you have in place to ensure that it doesn’t recur – you don’t build another arrears bill that reaches another few million dollars in the next few years?”
Chandra Nisbet-Cansino
“It’s very challenging because Karl Heusner [Memorial Hospital] is the only tertiary hospital in Belize. We treat a lot of less fortunate persons. People can’t afford the private sector, so we cannot refuse treatment to anyone. So we will probably always be in a deficit because persons that need care access it care and the challenges is collecting.”
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
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
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
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.”
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.
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.
Melissa Diaz-Musa
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.”
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.
Melissa Diaz-Musa
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.”
Natalia Beer
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.
