Government Partners With NHI to Expand HIV Support and Prevention Services

The Government of Belize has taken a decisive step in bolstering the national HIV response through a new partnership between the Ministry of Economic Transformation (MET) and the National Health Insurance (NHI).  MET’s Chief Executive Officer Carlos Pol and NHI General Manager Dr. Ramon Figueroa signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) earlier today in Belmopan. The agreement focuses on two key initiatives aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable populations by providing nutritional and vitamin support for children living with HIV through the Hand in Hand Ministries program and expanding nationwide access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) services across all NHI primary healthcare facilities. Love News spoke with the Chairperson for the National Aids Commission, Dolores, Balderamos Garcia who expressed that the goal is to lower the HIV rates by 2030. 

Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Chairperson, National AIDS Commission: “Well our role at the secretariat of the National AIDS Commission is to be witnesses to the agreement that was signed today which we are very excited about because NHI, the National Health Insurance, comes under the Social Security Board and the Government of Belize and as you know NHI are the purchasers of services that are provided out there so that our people can have more access to primary healthcare. The MOU today is between the Ministry of Economic Transformation who are the principal recipients from the Global Fund Funding and that MOU is between the Ministry of Economic Transformation and NHI well Social Security Board but it’s to go to NHI so that the various services can go especially to children who are living with HIV. The details of the timeline I can’t tell you but as chair of the Commissioner I’m speaking on behalf of all our commissioners we’re very excited for this kind of memorandum of understanding because it will certainly help us to reach out to the people and the families and children who need it most. It really helps in a big big way because if we can have cooperation and collaboration and partnership between NHI and the Ministry that is responsible for the financing and they are the principal recipients this is definitely going to enhance our service delivery to people who need it and that is why we’re very excited. It will contribute in a large way to helping us to control HIV and AIDS as a public health emergency and problem. We’re hoping by 2030 but of course we know that every single case wouldn’t be gone by then but I we can provide care and treatment so that people can be adherent to the medication and get the services that are needed we will be going in definitely the right direction and I’m excited to see us bring down the rates of HIV and reach out to the people who need it the most.”

The partnership signals a shift toward a more inclusive, community-centered model of healthcare, one that prioritizes prevention, accessibility, and dignity. Dr.Figueroa expressed that it would ensure equitable access to HIV testing, treatment, and prevention, particularly for children and other at-risk groups.

Dr. Ramo Figueroa, NHI General Manager: “Well we will be the ones that do the contracting with the Hand in Hand Ministries and Go Joven because of our experience with NIH that we contract clinics we have the experience in contracting and ensuring that we get results for the money that is being invested by government. So our role is really to establish a contract and follow up and ensure that the objectives are met. It will be offered through in a collaboration with the Ministry of Health and all the necessary kits and testing kits and treatment kits will be delivered to our network of contracted families and then they will be trained on the protocols and guidelines and so it will be much more accessible to the population as those services are now going to be made available through other clinics.”

The initiative goes along with Belize’s pledge to meet the global “95-95-95” targets, which aim for 95% of people living with HIV to know their status, 95% of those diagnosed to be on sustained treatment, and 95% of those on treatment to achieve viral suppression.