Belize Achieves Malaria-Free Status

Belize has been dubbed malaria free by the World Health Organization (WHO).  This means that the country has gone three years without a reported case of malaria, which has been dubbed a major achievement for Belize.  Love News understands that that Belize had collaborated with the PanAmerican Health Organization and the Regional Malaria Elimination Initiative (RMEI), an agency supported by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB).  A release from the IDB was issued earlier today, stating, quote, “although there have been no reports of imported, introduced, or autochthonous cases in Belize since 2019 and no reports of relapsed or induced malaria cases since 2013, continued surveillance and cross-border collaboration are essential to maintaining this malaria-free status.”  Minister of Health and Wellness, Kevin Bernard, has commented on this milestone, saying that, ‘our biggest success is the fact that we are now malaria free. For our country, it is a great achievement. We pledge our commitment to ensure technical support and continuous financial resources to remain malaria free“. Back in May, Love News had spoken to Bernard, who had explained why this is a major accomplishment for Belize.

Belize is now looking forward to the certification on the elimination of HIV and Syphilis from child to mother.  According to PAHO, only a few countries worldwide have achieved this status, including, seven in the Caribbean and six in the rest of the world.  This is a massive recognition on a global scale for Belize as it is a dual certification for both HIV and Syphilis.