Belize
Belize is a Central American country rich in culture and Caribbean beauty. Its ethnically diverse people work in expanding agriculture, fishing and tourism industries, but the country’s development is under threat from a rising HIV/AIDS rate.
While Belize’s health care system is relatively strong, it faces challenges related to HIV/AIDS. Belize’s health workers need training in HIV/AIDS treatment and care. People living with HIV and AIDS face stigma and discrimination in health care facilities.
IntraHealth works in Belize through USAID’s Capacity Project to:
- Train the faculty of regional health professional schools on preventing HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination
- Train health science and social work faculty at the University of Belize in HIV/AIDS counseling skills
- Improve the access of health providers and universities’ faculty and students to current HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis knowledge and tools through the Internet
- Support the decentralization of HIV/AIDS care and treatment, through health staff performance initiatives
- Improve supervision and human resource management systems.
Donor/Project: USAID (Capacity Project)
Partners: JHPIEGO, Management Sciences for Health
Selected health statistics for Belize (WHO, accessed July 2007):
Life expectancy, in years (m/f): 67, 74
Probability of dying under 5 years of age (per 1000 live births): 17
Adult prevalence of HIV/AIDS: 0.8–6.9%
Maternal mortality, 2000 stats (per 100,000 live births): 140