PAHO Donates Equipment to Boost Cervical Cancer Screening in Belize

Public hospitals and clinics around the country will be scaling up their surveillance for cervical cancer through a donation of equipment by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Today, PAHO donated 10 colposcopes to the Ministry of Health and Wellness to improve access to healthcare for women. Data from the Ministry shows that cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in Belize, with 213 newly reported cases between 2020 and 2024. Maternal and Child Health Technical Advisor Dr. Natalia Beer says that early screening is a key component to battling cervical cancer, and the new colposcopes will aid in those efforts.

Dr.Natalia Beer, Maternal Child Health Advisor, MOHW: “Colposcopy is a medical procedure used to closely examine the cervix and the vagina, looking for signs of disease. When these are indicated, if women have an abnormal pap smear, if they have an abnormal HPV test, If there is genital warts, if there is swelling of the cervix, cervical polyps, and also if there are precancerous changes in the cervix, the vagina, or even in the vulvar area. So how this works is that it’s a magnifying instrument with a bright light that  will allow the clinician to view the tissues and to come up with a possible diagnosis or if it is abnormal then they would indicate a biopsy.”

The colposcopes were handed over to the Ministry at the National Vaccine Storage Facility in Belmopan and will be distributed to their respective facilities next week. They are valued at just over $54,700 US dollars.