Category: Health

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is sounding the alarm about four dietary supplements making the rounds in Belize. The products in question are Arti King, Artibion, Artri Ajo King, and Vitafer-L. According to MOHW, these supplements contain hidden substances that could be harmful to your health. As a safety measure, the ministry is urging everyone to steer clear of these products. We spoke with Doctor Melissa Diaz-Musa, the Director of Public Health and Wellness, to get more details.

 

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

“There are about four of them, Artri Bion, Artri Kin and Arti Ajo Kinga and Vitafer-L. The first three was marketed as supplements that would help with arthritis or ache or pains, a general multivitamin or supplements that help the body function. And the vVtafer was marketed as a supplement that helped to lift mood and give energy and help with your day to day living. The ingredients these supplements have listed does not have that it is tainted with another medication. These other medications need a prescription for the ingredient not listed here. So Artri King has glucosamin, Vitamin C. Omega 3, but it does not have that it has an additional ingredient that can cause signs and symptoms. The ministry placed this press rlease out to warn the population not to purchase medication from social media or unauthorized dealers of pharmacies.”

If you’re currently using any of the tainted supplements that the Ministry of Health and Wellness has flagged, Doctor Melissa Diaz-Musa urges you to stop right away. She emphasized that there could be serious long-term side effects. And for those selling these products, be warned—you could face fines.

 

Paul Lopez

“The Vitafer-L was being marketed as this energy or enhancement supplement, especially in the party scenes, among clubs and those who go out at night. What becomes of those persons pushing the Vitafer-L.”

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

“What happens at this point because the drug inspection unit did their surveillance and found that it is available in Belize, we have contacted these persons and removed all these medications and try to find the source as best as possible.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Could charges or fines be levied against individuals pushing these products?”

 

Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa

“That is right, the ministry do have the Food and Drugs regulation that covers us. There are fines, minimal fines, that we have used before when we have persons with falsified products in the country.”

 

Paul Lopez

“What is the medical advise to individual that have consumed and been consuming these tainted supplements.”

 

Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa

“The first three has one particular medication and Vitafer has a separate medication. In terms of the Vitafer the best advice is not to take it. It can have side effects that can be very severe. We say do not take it at all but there is nothing you can do at this point. The others can cause long term side effects. So we would advise stop taking it and report where you got it from, try to work with the ministry of health to remove all from the vendors and shelves across the country.”

 

 

Just nine days ago, the Briceño administration received a fresh mandate from Belizeans at the polls. Since then, Prime Minister John Briceño has reappointed Kevin Bernard as the Minister of Health and Wellness, with Doctor Julio Sabido returning as his Chief Executive Officer. Their first order of business? Launching the Belize Health Sector Strategic Plan 2025-2034. This plan lays out a vision for tackling key health system challenges in Belize. News Five’s Paul Lopez has more on this in the following report.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has unveiled its Belize Health Sector Strategic Plan 2025-2034, a transformative roadmap designed to bolster Belize’s health system. This plan is built on three key pillars: strengthening leadership and governance, creating an equitable system, and promoting healthier lifestyles. The vision is to achieve a healthy and empowered population, supported by an equitable, efficient, and high-quality health system. The mission focuses on improving system governance and service delivery, while fostering partnerships to address national health priorities. Leading this ambitious effort is Kevin Bernard, who has been reappointed as the Minister of Health and Wellness.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness 

“As the minister I want to see that we can achieve universal health coverage. I want to see that we can bring better service delivery to our Belizean people in health care, that as we roll out NHI that our people are benefiting from these services, we want to see more improved facilities across the country and that is my goal.”

 

Meeting the needs of a growing population with increasing health challenges is no task for one person. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Belize, followed by cancer and accidents. Mental health is also a top priority in the health sector strategic plan. To support Minister Bernard in bringing this plan to life, Doctor Julio Sabido has been reappointed as the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

 

Dr. Julio Sabido, C.E.O, M.O.H.W.

“We are determined to ensure that every Belizean, no matter their socioeconomic status or where they live, has access to quality healthcare. Today’s launch is not just the end of a planning phase. It marked the beginning of a shared responsibility. This success of this strategic plan depends on all of us, public and private sector, national and international partners.”

 

Among the international partners present at today’s launch were representatives from the World Health Organization and the European Union, showing their support for Belize’s health initiatives.

 

Xavier Canton-Lamousse, Representative, European Union

“This plan is built on the foundation of inclusivity, sustainability and innovation and it aims to transform the health sector for the benefit of all Belizeans.”

 

Dr. Karen Lewis-Bell, Belize Representative, PAHO/WHO

“Health is not solely the responsibility of the minister of health and wellness. Achieving the objective of the Belize Health Sector Strategic Plan requires collaboration across all sectors including health care, education, finance, social protection.”

 

Among all the goals in the strategic plan, the right to healthcare service stands out as the most empowering, especially for remote communities with little to no access. Minister Bernard highlights that this is where telehealth and telemedicine can make a significant impact.

 

Kevin Bernard

“Going into this term, our big agenda is to ensure there is telehealth and telemedicine. We want to ensure we reach the underserved population. We want to ensure that where we are unable to build a facility we can serve those people one way or the other. Talking about right to health, every Belizean have a right to access health care, at the primary care, secondary care and tertiary care level.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez

So, what’s the deal with those pricey, specialized healthcare services that we just can’t get here in Belize? Many Belizeans must pack their bags and head abroad to access these treatments, often shelling out tens of thousands of dollars from their own pockets. So, what’s the Ministry’s game plan to bring these services home? We had a chat with Minister Bernard to find out.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness

“One of the things as you know at least at KHMH we do these cardiovascular services. In the country we may not have all the necessary human skills to have this high-level treatment addressed. But what we need is prevention, to ensure that people live healthily. So it starts from the core. It starts with the policy we set out, the nutrition policy, the healthy earing in schools, staring with our young. I think once we implement and enforce these things people will live healthier lives. The plan speaks about healthier lifestyles, people habits are changed and turning these things around. Of course, accessing levels services in Belize is difficult. So, people have to go out. But it is our vision that at some point Belize can offer these services.”

Earlier this week, a survey popped up in the Ministry of Health and Wellness staff WhatsApp group, asking everyone if they were cool with Kevin Berard staying on as Minister and Doctor Julio Sabido as C.E.O. The message said the minister wanted to be open and inclusive about a big decision coming up. But then, the ministry’s Facebook page dropped a bombshell – the survey was fake! Today, we caught up with Minister Bernard to get the scoop on what really went down.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness

“I got wind of that after I was called to say if I knew about it. I had no idea about that specific survey. I think it is malicious by nature. I think there was games being played and it is obvious that somebody was trying to get after or create a division between myself and my CEO. That is not happening. I hold good confidence in my C.E.O. We have been working very closely to ensure we lead this ministry, and it is not only myself and my CEO, we have good people, a good management team. Look at what is happening today with Doctor Chel who is now our director of policy and planning. We have Dr. Musa, Dr. Polanco and all the other deputy directors and the leading technical advisors in the country. So I refuse to respond to negative issues when it comes to that. I think that is past gone and we are moving ahead. The prime minister has appointed me as the Minister of Health and I supported the reengament of Dr. Sabido as my CEO because I know we have been able to work together.”

As you heard, Minister Bernard is backing Doctor Julio Sabido’s reappointment as the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Health and Wellness. Back in 2022, critics weren’t too thrilled about Sabido’s appointment because he was seen as a junior member of the team and hadn’t led any regional teams yet. So, he’s back now, but did that come after some tough talks between him and the minister?

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness

“Doctor Sabido and I have had great discussions. I know when I just became the minister, I did not know Doctor Sabido. We got to know each other. We worked very closely together so it was not a difficult task to say I fully support Doctor Sabido. And, as I said to him, we are here to work and ensure that the Belizean people get a better health system and a ministry that would work for each other. At the end of the day we serve the Belizean people we want to ensure that we are here to do our job and ensure the Belizean people benefit from the decisions we make as a government and ministry so that we can always look back down the road and say we place in a better position than we found it.”

 

As part of the new ten-year health strategy, there’s a big change coming to the mental health policy. Minister of Health Kevin Bernard says it’s crucial for better addressing the needs of those facing mental health challenges. He talked about a policy that goes beyond just hospitalizing people – it’s about helping them access the services they truly need.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness

“There are several things that we are working on in terms of not just to focus on the institutionalization, but to look at the programs and activities that we need to do. We have to ensure that the wellness side of ministry starts to become more active in terms of making people understand and be part of the different programs because mental health is not just the notion of people being, as you will say, belongs in a home, but it’s all about many of us walking around this country. And you might never know what is affecting him or her. And so we have to ensure that people have access to seek attention, to seek services. And that’s what we want to do in this ministry, to ensure that mental health remains a focal point in our agenda and in this strategic plan that is highlighted there where people have access to the services.”

 

The Trump administration has warned government officials in the region that they might lose their U.S. visas if they keep supporting what they call ‘forced labor’ by the Cuban brigades. The U.S. Government argues that these missions ‘enrich the Cuban regime.’ Belize has been welcoming these medical missions from Cuba for a long time, with doctors, nurses, and other medical staff coming to work here for a while. Today, Minister Bernard wasn’t sweating over his U.S. visa and assured that the Cubans involved in these missions are paid.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness

“The Cuban people have assisted Belize for many, many decades. In fact, they’re here in this country providing a service towards very rural populations and we don’t own the rights to whether or not the U.S. issues or grants or denies persons. We said that’s the right of the United States government. I don’t want to get into that diplomatic issue but all I can say is that I know that Belize continues to enjoy the relationship we have with Cuba. We also have a good relationship with the United States of America, and I’m very sure that two Foreign Affairs Ministries are working out and having the discussions with the government, clearing up some of the concerns that the U.S. Government had as it relates to the area of what they’re claiming, human trafficking in terms of the Cuban nationals.”

 

Reporter

“But are you concerned for your own visa or that of your…”

 

Kevin Bernard

“Jules, I’m a Belizean and a Belizean first. I live in Belize. That’s where my love is and so my focus is to ensure that our Belizean people can continue to benefit from the work that we’re doing as a government, whether or not I travel, the US is far from the most important issue in my life. For now as a minister of government, I’m here to work for my people to ensure we can deliver for the Belizean people. These Cuban doctors get paid a salary in Belize to their own personal accounts that they have in. And so, I don’t see where that is forced labor, but people coming to provide a service and being in for that.”

Before the People’s United Party took power in 2020, its Plan Belize manifesto promised to completely reform the health system. The P.U.P. vowed to update the country’s rundown hospitals, make healthcare affordable nationwide, and help Belizeans overcome the COVID-19 crisis. Tonight, we look at these promises to see if the healthcare sector has improved under the Briceño administration. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with that report.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

In 2020, during a global healthcare crisis, the People’s United Party came to power. The COVID-19 pandemic had caused widespread devastation, and the PUP promised to make strategic changes to Belize’s healthcare system to ensure that all Belizeans have access to essential medical care.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño (File: Nov 12, 2020)

“And as such we will respect the decision of the Belizean people. As of today, we are no longer P.U.P. standard bearers but we are representatives of the people. We are a government of the people of Belize. And I want to assure everyone that we are going to be an open, accountable, and accessible government for the people of Belize.”

 

In their Plan Belize manifesto, the PUP promised to set up a Public Health Emergency Response Commission to study COVID-19’s impact on Belize and recommend better ways to handle future medical crises. The government quickly secured vaccines and received millions of dollars in equipment donations from foreign allies. They also put strict regulations in place to slow the spread of viruses.

 

Dr. Julio Sabido, Medical Officer, Ministry of Health & Wellness (File: Oct 15th, 2021)

“The curfew remains from nine p.m. to four a.m.  Restaurants, saloons, diners and other similar establishments are allowed to operate.  They may offer dining-in services by reservations only, but for no more than fifty percent of the seating capacity and for fully vaccinated persons only.  Restaurants that have proper ventilation or a restaurant that has, an open-air restaurant or an outdoor restaurant, or an alfresco dining restaurant that is allowed to operate may offer dining in services by reservation only for no more than seventy-five percent of its seating capacity, with fully vaccinated persons only.”

 

The manifesto also promised to appoint a wellness minister to lead a national campaign for healthier living. Initially, the Briceno administration chose Michel Chebat as Minister of Health and Wellness. However, things got chaotic when the ministry’s CEO, Dr. Deysi Mendez, left after just one year. As the ministry struggled to find a suitable replacement, Prime Minister John Briceño replaced Chebat with Kevin Bernard as the new health minister.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño (File: Jan 17, 2022)

“He took it over when the pandemic was at its worst and the Ministry had absolutely no plan and so he took that on and rolled up his sleeves and worked hard day in, day out. Could he have done certain things better? Of course! We could always look back, as we say, looking back you have twenty-twenty vision. But I want to again, put on record, my appreciation for the tremendous work that Michel Chebat did during this very, very difficult time.”

 

Every year, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension remain the leading cause of death in Belize. The PUP has promised to improve care for these diseases and work with the Ministry of Education to fully introduce health education in schools to prevent NCDs. In 2023, the ministry launched the Healthy Habits, Healthy Schools, Healthy Belize project, which provides healthier meals to students and cuts down on sugary drinks. The following year, Belize joined the HEARTS Initiative to fight cardiovascular diseases in the region. The ministry has also successfully rolled out the National Health Insurance (NHI) to provide affordable healthcare services to Belizeans nationwide.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness (File:  February 6th, 2025)

“As you are aware, the rollout of the entire district has commenced. There have been  consultations that is taking place. The plan is that by the end of this year, we  should have NHI across the entire country.  So there is a process. I think that in May, we are looking at targeting the Cayo side and then Belmopan city, and then we go on to the other surrounding villages because Cayo district is very huge. It is our hope that by the end of the year, as I said, we would have full coverage of NHI across the entire country.”

The government also planned to support the development of the medical science faculty at the University of Belize. However, in 2024, they faced backlash for deciding to spend millions on land for a university hospital, even though the university had offered free land for the project.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness (File:  August 8, 2024)

“I would not be able to speak on the cost of the land. That is, that is something that is, to the Ministry of Economic Development because that’s the way the decision for that was done. However, there was other challenges, the location of accessibility. Remember, it’s not only a teaching hospital, it’s going to be a tertiary facility where you need to have immediate access and so, they felt after the ministry and other technical team looked at it, they felt that they needed to be at a different location that is more accessible.  But it will continue to serve, as Dean Johnson mentioned, not just the tertiary teaching hospital, but we also want to try and look at how we could implement our regional facilities to also become some level of teaching facilities where people can go in and learn clinical  works and so forth. So, but yes, the decision was made to build a hospital at a different location. We are almost finished with the designs now, and I am hoping that we can break ground on that new facility by the end of this year.”

 

The government has expanded healthcare services across Belize by opening the Placencia Polyclinic and building the San Pedro and Caye Caulker Hospital. They’ve also made several updates to health posts in rural villages, especially in southern Belize. Britney Gordon for News Five.