Health in Belize

The Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) plans, regulates, and organizes public health care in four regions: Northern, Central, Western, and Southern. Health Centers and Health Posts provide prevention, health counseling, maternal and child care, vaccination services, dental care, vector control, and initial treatment for many complaints. Depending on medical needs, patients may be referred to a district or regional hospital, to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) as the national referral hospital in Belize City, or to a private specialist clinic. In remote or offshore areas, transportation and referral can delay treatment; opening hours and admission conditions should be confirmed in advance. The National Health Insurance (NHI) is a financing and access program, not the entire health system. Access often runs through contracted family doctors or other primary-care providers. Under the applicable eligibility requirements, Belizean nationals or lawfully resident persons who are registered with the Social Security Board and have the relevant card may qualify. NHI services include, among other things, medical, nursing, pediatric, and obstetric consultations, laboratory tests, certain imaging procedures excluding MRI, generic medicines from the National Formulary, eye care, family planning, HIV, tuberculosis, and preventive services, as well as care for high blood pressure and diabetes. The 2023 public fee policy removed fees from public hospitals; KHMH was expressly excluded when the policy was introduced. Current fees charged by KHMH, public clinics, private providers, diagnostic services, and pharmacies are not published uniformly. Private treatment and copayments therefore depend on the specific facility and service. The MOHW Pharmacy Unit monitors the import and supply of medicines, provides advice on their safe use, and handles reports of adverse effects. Availability and stock levels may vary between facilities. For the personal import of prescribed medicines, the MOHW lists mohcustomentries@health.gov.bz as a contact. Belize treats noncommunicable diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer as central health priorities. The HEARTS program was rolled out nationwide in 2024; trained primary-care teams detect high blood pressure and diabetes, begin treatment, and monitor progress. Through NHI, maternity care includes, among other services, antenatal checkups, iron and folic acid, one ultrasound examination, and basic laboratory tests including HIV and VDRL tests. Counseling on breastfeeding and infant feeding was also expanded in 2024. Belize received WHO certification as malaria-free in 2023; surveillance and prevention of reintroduction nevertheless remain necessary. Tuberculosis, HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and antimicrobial resistance remain relevant areas of work. The MOHW operates psychiatric clinics in all districts and in Belmopan and provides some community-based or mobile follow-up care. The Belmopan Acute Mental Health Unit has four beds, while the Palm Center has 42 places for inpatient care. Short-term acute admissions outside Belmopan may also take place in district hospitals or general wards at KHMH. After treatment, discharge, medication counseling, follow-up appointments, and referral depend on the relevant hospital or provider. At a health facility, patients should have identification, a Social Security or NHI card, available medical records, a medication list, and previous discharge documents. The MOHW is responsible for monitoring patient safety and patient rights; the reviewed sources do not clearly describe a single, uniformly published central complaints procedure. In immediate danger, call 911 and at the same time go to the nearest emergency department or suitable health facility. A nationwide, uniform medical emergency dispatch system has not been confirmed; in 2022, the National Fire Service had two ambulances in the country and was testing an emergency medical service in San Ignacio and Santa Elena. Ambulance coverage and response times may therefore vary considerably. The MOHW can be reached at 0-800-664-2273 or +501 822-2325; for NHI questions, the Social Security Board lists +501 822-1810.