Ministry to Collaborate with Mental Health Unit to tackle suicide in Belize

In an exclusive interview with the Minister of Human Development and Families, Dolores Balderamos Garcia, she told Love News that the number of lives lost to suicide since the beginning of the year has been concerning. According to recent statistics from the World Health Organization, 75% of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries. Poverty, limited access to mental health services and widespread stigma attached to mental ill-health contribute to this occurrence. The Ministry of Human Development and Families will be working closely with the Mental Health Unit under the Ministry of Health and Wellness to combat suicide in Belize.

Preliminary data by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, indicate that 29 persons died by suicide in 2023.  The coordinator in the Mental Health Unit, Iveth Quintanilla says the unit is working on expanding its services for anyone who may need the service. 

The Ministry of Health and Wellness launched a suicide prevention plan on March 8.