Belize Unveils Comprehensive Health Sector Strategic Plan for 2025-2034

 The Ministry of Health and Wellness has unveiled its new Strategic Plan 2025-2034.  The plan serves to guide the sector’s development over the next decade. It was developed through consultations with health sector stakeholders coupled with an analysis of the reviews on the 2014-2024 plan.  According to the ministry, the new plan incorporates a situational analysis to refine equitable access, multi-sectoral coordination strategies, and a conceptual framework based on several identified priorities. Dr. Andrei Chell, Director of Policy Analysis and Planning, explained that the ministry emphasized the use of relevant data to ensure the new plan addresses the country’s needs.

Dr. Andrei Chell, Director, Policy Analysis and Planning Unit: “This is the new 10-year strategic plan for the Ministry of Health. Of course, this was a very intense,  it took a lot of activities starting with a consultative workshop that the Ministry of Health conducted last year in August. This was done in partnership with PAHO/ WHO.  We had  a prioritization exercise where we looked at the different priorities of the Ministry of Health and how we want to go along achieving these health priorities over the next 10 years. We also did the revision of secondary sources, for example, the past Health Sector Strategic Plan was also  reviewed. We did a midterm assessment of that plan.  We also did stakeholder interviews to gather feedback from key stakeholders that play a vital role in the plan.  And all of this now really informed the development of this plan. And of course, with the use of very key conceptual frameworks like the 11 essential public health functions that also guided the development of this new 10-year plan.”

Dr. Chell said that leadership, governance, and resource allocation are among the highest priorities for the ministry in the new plan.

Dr. Andrei Chell, Director, Policy Analysis and Planning Unit: “So the first strategic objective looks at strengthening the overall leadership and stewardship of the Ministry of Health.  Then when we dive in a little bit more into the second strategic objective, this is where we look at health sector governance now, right? We look at the different  challenges that we are facing, for example, with human resources for health, the health financing gaps as well and the service delivery needs of the Ministry of Health.  And then we go into the third strategic objective which now looks into  promoting healthier lifestyles and behaviors. We know that non-communicable diseases are the leading causes of death here in Belize. So the strategic objective three primarily focuses on that behavior change and this is done in focusing with individuals, families and communities  for them to be able to also exercise their right to health, right? So these really three strategic objectives are what will guide the Ministry of Health. Of course, these are more overarching strategic objective. The next step would then be to look at how we want to go now more specific in the operational plan that the Ministry of Health is developing for 2025-2026.”

The official launch of the plan was held at the Biltmore Plaza.