The Belize Cancer Society officially launched a cancer app today at its offices in Belize City. Working in conjunction with Smart, the application is available for download, in the first instance, from the Google playstore for all android devices. For Apple products that carry iOS platforms, it is still being worked out. But the app, […]
The Belize Agricultural and Health Authority and the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization convened yet another round of discussions with stakeholders in the agricultural and health industries. The antibiotic awareness forum looks at monitoring the use and misuse of medicine in humans and animals, which inhibits the growth of […]
According to Drug Inspector Samira Gongora, antibiotic resistance can occur in humans and animals. The long term effect of its misuse can potentially lead to the eradication of the population because it weakens the body’s immune system. Among the presenters today was the registrar for veterinary products, Doctor Joe Myers. Myers gives approval to vets […]
Known as one of the most deadly non-communicable diseases, diabetes can cause an array of life complications. One of those complications is diabetic retinopathy, or simply, blindness. Today, the Ministry of Health held an informational session in Belize City where participants learned how to prevent diabetic retinopathy. News Five’s Hipolito Novelo reports. Hipolito Novelo, […]
Prime Minister Dean Barrow hosted an extended press conference today, following an equally lengthy hiatus from the public eye since his return from medical treatment in Havana last month. This morning’s brief touched on a raft of national issues, from Belize’s economic performance to the pending I.C.J. referendum and all points between. The PM first […]
This week, the Ministry of Health embarked in its annual awareness campaign on the importance of practicing dental hygiene. After a week of celebration, Dental Health Week culminated with a mini-fair at the parking lot of the K.H.M.H. in Belize City. This year’s theme was “Visit the Dentist Today and Prevent Tooth Decay.” Senior Dental […]
Recently, there’s been much talk about government’s decision to expand the National Dialysis Programme. Tonight in Healthy Living, we take a deeper look at the challenges faced by those who depend on this treatment for their survival. Marleni Cuellar, Reporting When we see a man delivering flowers we think one of two things: “What […]
The circumstances surrounding the death of twenty-year-old Jayeisha Parchue at the hands of doctors in Dangriga earlier this month continue to ripple across Belizean society. The incident which resulted in the young mother losing her life while in care at the Southern Regional Hospital casts another dark shadow over the public health sector. Parchue leaves […]
So while Marsha Romero is taking legal action, today, we asked Health Minister Pablo Marin about the allegations of malpractice and neglect at the Southern Regional Hospital. According to Marin, an investigation is under way and while he does not know when that investigation will be completed, he says that it is normal for the […]
On Tuesday, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority announced that the nation’s referral hospital was back to one hundred percent. Essential services provided by the hospital were suspended for months after it was discovered that the roof was failing. Extensive renovations have been completed and today, the media was allowed to be part of a […]
Health personnel from SICA countries, including the Dominican Republic, are here in Belize. At this first meeting, the technocrats are discussing issues of vector control in the region and will draft a plan for entomology as well as look at ways to strengthen human resources since the number of experts is dwindling. Their recommendations will […]
The recent deaths of a young mother and a town council employee at the Southern Regional Hospital have brought grief to the families. It has also sparked a protest amid claims that negligence on behalf of the hospital resulted in the loss of lives. We start with the demise of twenty-two-year-old Jayeisha Parchue. Parchue was […]
The passing of Elroy Flores, an employee of the Dangriga Town Council, is the second death reportedly due to negligence at the Southern Regional Hospital. Flores, a member of the Southern Workers Union, died within twenty-four hours of being released from the facility, after being told by a doctor that he was clear to return […]
The turnout at a protest against the so-called increase in deaths at the Southern Regional Hospital was anemic; however, the concerns being voiced are very real. This afternoon, SWU President Glen Lewis and Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero, both spoke on the demonstration. Glen Lewis, President, Southern Workers Union “It is of […]
But there is good news from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital here in the city. The K.H.M.H. Authority informs that as of this Monday, the national referral hospital is back on track. Services had been interrupted for six long months as the hospital carried out renovations to the operating suites. That work, however, was affected […]
In September, the Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber announced that the dialysis programme of the government was being expanded to include twice the number of persons that were receiving treatment. Four medical facilities, including two private institutions, La Loma Luz and the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital have been contracted to provide the services at approximately […]
A school in Dangriga had to send home its students this week after public health officials shut down the school because the sewerage system stopped functioning and the restrooms were no longer sanitary for the students to use. But the problem worsened when neighbours started to complain and the health officials intervened to close down […]
Everybody does it; or, that’s what we hope. While we know it is important, we’ve all been guilty of skipping it here or there. What’s worse, we may not even be doing it properly and quite likely making ourselves and others sick as a result. What are we talking about? Hand washing. We’ll find out […]
The annual flu season is upon us once again and the Ministry of Health has issued a reminder that vaccines are presently available free of cost at health centres across the country. Specific at-risk groups are particularly encouraged to get their vaccines, those include newborns between the ages of six and twenty-three months, pregnant women, […]
A unique fundraiser is taking place this weekend. In this instance about a hundred persons are camping out at the Memorial Park throughout the night to experience what it is to be homeless. The event is being organized by the Welcome Resource Center that caters to the City’s homeless persons as a way to bring […]
Epidemiologist, Doctor Ethan Gough has resigned from the Ministry of Health. His resignation, we understand, took the ministry by surprise because it has only been about a year since he has been back following several years of study abroad. The C.E.O in the Ministry of Health was tight-lipped about Gough’s departure, only to say that […]
Today, October tenth, Belize joined the globe to observe World Mental Health Day under the theme, “Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World.” According to the World Health Organization, young people are particularly vulnerable to mental distress and illness and most cases go undetected. The Ministry of Health says that youths in Belize […]
Breast and cervical cancers are the two prevalent forms of the disease that affect women; prostate cancer is common among men. This morning at the Biltmore Plaza, tribute was paid to women who are cancer survivors and others who are fighting the deadly disease. As part of the activities for breast cancer month, a photo […]
Fifty-eight more patients with end-stage renal failure are now set to benefit from the Ministry of Health’s Hemodialysis Programme. The ministry made the announcement last week, stating that it will contract K.H.M.H., Loma Luz Hospital, Miguel Rosado Dialysis Center, and Dialysis del Caribe to provide two free dialysis sessions weekly per patient. While the number […]
The Ministry of Health wants to ban soft-drinks from schools countrywide, a move which has already been implemented in some Caribbean countries. The announcement was made by Health Minister Pablo Marin this morning, saying that he will take the proposal to cabinet this week and hopes to get the nod from Education Minister Patrick Faber. […]
