Belize and Mexico hold joint Health Week
Protecting children from polio is the focus of this year’s Bi-National Health Week being observed between Belize and Mexico. On Saturday Minister of Health Servulo Baeza opened the week at the Central Park in Corozal by noting that public health efforts cannot be carried out in isolation. He said cooperation between neighboring countries is critical given the social and economic factors that influence health. He also took the opportunity to praise Belize’s health care providers, especially the public health nurses, for their outreach efforts. He says since 1996, ninety-nine percent of children under one year have received their mumps, measles and rubella vaccine, or M.M.R. When the program started coverage was only seventy-four percent. Coverage for Tuberculosis has been over ninety percent for the past eight years and since 1991 there have been no cases of measles reported. The Minister says these efforts to protect Belizean children, as well as address other health concerns, have been complemented by assistance from Mexico.
Servulo Baeza, Minister of Health
“Immunization is just one area of cooperation; presently we are cooperating in other areas such as the control of malaria, the prevention and the control of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. Presently the area of reproductive health is gaining momentum. My ministry is prepared to facilitate the process of exchange of information, the process of technical assistance and to strengthen the process of bilateral cooperation. My administration is people orientated. Our vision, our policies, our goals and our objectives are geared towards upgrading the individual physically and mentally. As Minister of Health I am positive that the grains of effort that we all put as individuals is reflected in community health and that’s in the wellbeing of Belize. I stand behind our Mexican brothers and sisters to jointly triumph over our health problems today and march towards a healthier Belize and a healthier border region.”
According to the Ministry of Health this week, health officials in the northern districts and Chetumal have developed a plan to target one hundred percent of the children eligible for the polio vaccine. The Minister says besides polio drops, vaccines to prevent measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis and rubella will also be provided to children in the border region this week. State Secretary of Health of Quintana Roo, Mexico Dr. Gilbert Canto Massa was also present at Saturday’s event in Corozal.
