BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – The Belize government has launched a new project to improve diabetes care by integrating diabetes services into primary healthcare across the country.
The new initiative is being undertaken in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and is being funded by the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF).
As part of the Diabetes Care Integration Project, officials from the PAHO/WHO and the Ministry of Health and Wellness have visited both rural and urban health centers to evaluate current practices and determine how diabetes care can be better integrated into everyday healthcare services.
A government statement said that the site visits allowed the team to see firsthand how local health centers are managing diabetes care, gather insights into successful practices, and identify gaps in services and care to strengthen care across the country.
In addition to the site visits, a comprehensive diabetes care workshop was held, bringing together over 40 healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, primary care coordinators, medical coordinators, administrators, and internists.
The workshop focused on strengthening local expertise in diabetes care and featured discussions on the Global Diabetes Pact, an international initiative to improve diabetes care.
The statement said that the goal was to improve healthcare delivery for people living with type 2 diabetes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
“By training healthcare workers and enhancing local health systems, the training initiative aimed to reduce the impact of diabetes, prevent complications, and improve the overall health outcomes for patients,” the statement said, adding that by integrating diabetes management into primary healthcare, this will help ensure that communities have better access to adequate care and prevention strategies.
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