BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – The National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) says it “firmly rejects” any move to require women to obtain a doctor’s prescription to access birth control, adding that “the archaic legislation needs to be immediately revised.
“This proposal represents a significant step backward in advancing women’s rights and autonomy. It directly undermines a woman’s liberty to make decisions about her own body and reproductive health, and in doing so, threatens to reverse decades of progress. Such a policy takes us back nearly 50 years, to a time when women had far less control over their personal choices,” the NTUCB said in a statement.
“The NTUCB is also deeply concerned about the practical implications of such a requirement. Belize does not have enough gynecologists to meet this increased demand. For many women, particularly working women, taking time off from their jobs to spend hours waiting for a consultation is neither feasible nor affordable. This creates an unnecessary and unjust barrier to accessing basic healthcare and defining basic women’s rights.”
Earlier, the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW) said that in recent weeks, there has been growing public concern regarding the dispensing of prescription medicines in pharmacies across Belize.
“The Ministry clarifies that no new regulation requiring prescriptions has been implemented. This requirement has always existed, as prescription medicines require proper diagnosis and medical oversight to ensure safe and appropriate use. Furthermore, the Ministry has not taken any abrupt enforcement action that would disrupt public access to medicines.
“In fact, the MoHW has conducted consultation sessions with the public, as well as with the pharmacy association, over the last year regarding improving access to medicines and ensuring their safe usage.”
It said that to ensure continued access to medicines, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines exist in Belize and that these “medicines are considered safe to use without the oversight of a doctor and continue to be available in pharmacies and stores in Belize without a prescription”.
The Ministry said that General Sales OTC medicines and Pharmacy Sales OTC medicines may be purchased at corner stores, supermarkets, or convenience stores without the need to visit a pharmacy.
Regarding prescription medicines, the MoHW urges patients with chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, or asthma to conduct follow-up visits with their health care provider to prevent complications of these diseases and even early death.
“In addition to this, contraceptives are also prescription medicines due to the need to assess the risks and benefits, and utilize the consultation for opportunistic screening, before initiation of one of the various forms of contraceptives available,” it added.
The Director of Health Services at the MoHW, Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa, said that doctors or nurses can give refills.
“Sometimes they have it there in the office that they would give you three months of the contraceptives that you’re on, provided that all your concerns have been addressed and you don’t have any issues with the contraceptive that you’re on. So you must stress, you do not have to go to your doctor every month to get your prescription.
“I would like also to mention that we will do a phased in approach for general prescription meds, and we’re going to give a 12-month phase in so that we have the opportunity to do the full patient information campaign and to meet with the pharmacist as well, and to get buy-in from all parties that are involved in ensuring that patients can have access to care.”
But in its statement, the NTUCB said the public healthcare system is already under strain and that hospitals and clinics must prioritize the care of sick and vulnerable patients.
“Requiring women to seek medical appointments solely to obtain routine contraceptives would place an additional and avoidable burden on these facilities.
“Access to birth control is not only a health issue, but also a matter of dignity, equality, and economic participation. Women must be empowered to make timely and informed decisions without unnecessary obstacles.”
The NTUCB said it is calling on policymakers to revise this “regressive proposal,” adding “the existing legislation and instead support measures that expand access to reproductive healthcare, protect and enhance women’s rights, and promote fairness in our society that speaks of this current era.
“On the heels of a month spent championing women’s rights and progress, this move is a step backward we cannot accept,” said the NTUCB, the primary umbrella organization for 12 unions, representing a broad spectrum of workers.
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