BIENVENIDOS A LA TEMPORADA DE COMETAS EN BELICE

En Belice nuestras estaciones son diferentes, tenemos la estación seca y la estación húmeda. A medida que nos acercamos a la Cuaresma la temperatura ha subido y los vientos se han levantado bastante, perfecto para picnics, volar cometas e incluso carreras de sacos. Aquel hombrecillo que dice haberse criado como un joven sin privilegios en Mesopotamia debió ver y gustarle bastantes por aquel entonces. La primera mujer a la que mandó a volar una cometa fue a la doctora Carol Babb, quien, aunque realmente obtuvo el título de doctora, a sus miopes ojos no estaba cualificada para ocupar el cargo de Secretaria General del Partido Unido Democrático. El usurpador dio entonces el puesto a Juliet Thimbrel, a la que ahora ha despedido porque, tras la convención de la semana pasada, sus cualificaciones para el puesto de secretaria general del Partido Unido Democrático parecen haber menguado en relación directa con su lealtad a Big John. No cabe la menor duda de que quiere un perro faldero, y eso es algo a lo que ninguna de esas mujeres caerá tan baja como para convertirse. No es ningún secreto que las mujeres en general no son apreciadas en ese lado de la Cámara, y las mujeres de carácter fuerte son especialmente indeseables y se les descarta en cuanto han cumplido su propósito.

Hablando de objetos voladores, cabe decir que la colaboración entre el Ministerio de Turismo y Relaciones con la Diáspora y el Ministerio de Economía Azul y Aviación Civil está despegando. Las previsiones de visitantes para esta temporada de vacaciones de primavera y Semana Santa prometen batir incluso los récords anteriores a la pandemia y, sin duda, el negocio será boyante para el sector turístico. Para ello, varios aeródromos nacionales clave verán mejorada su iluminación y renovadas sus pistas y plataformas para acomodar el creciente tráfico y proporcionar el puente aéreo que impulse la industria turística. El Ministerio de Juventud, Deportes y Transportes también ha anunciado un enfoque gradual de la modernización del transporte público terrestre. Aunque algunas de las empresas de autobuses no están de acuerdo con los cambios, se llevan planeando desde hace algún tiempo y difícilmente podrían sorprender. Los ciudadanos de Belice, tantos visitantes como residentes, tienen derecho a un transporte seguro, eficaz y cómodo. Ha habido demasiados casos de autobuses que se han incendiado en la carretera, demasiados accidentes debido a autobuses que, sinceramente, no eran aptos para circular y, sencillamente, demasiadas vidas truncadas porque los operadores de autobuses no pueden realizar los trayectos a tiempo debido a que los vehículos no funcionan.

No puede ser que los viajeros tengan que sufrir la injusticia de un transporte deficiente para que los operadores puedan aumentar sus beneficios. Actualmente se están mejorando y manteniendo las principales autopistas, los municipios también están poniendo de su parte para rehabilitar sus calles y el Ministerio de Desarrollo de Infraestructuras y Vivienda está trabajando incansablemente para mejorar las carreteras rurales de todo el país. Para disminuir las emisiones de combustible, reducir la congestión de las carreteras y aumentar la eficiencia y seguridad de nuestro transporte es imperativo modernizar las flotas. La afirmación es sencilla: la eficiencia y eficacia de nuestra conectividad están directamente relacionadas con nuestra productividad como país. Sencillamente, no podemos permitirnos seguir circulando por las carreteras con vehículos desechados que, con razón, no están permitidos en otros países. No podemos competir con nuestros vecinos en el sector turístico porque su transporte público es más fiable y mejor que el nuestro. Nuestra productividad y nuestros costes son más elevados porque los vehículos más nuevos no sólo son más baratos de mantener, sino que además consumen menos combustible, ahorro que podría repercutir rápidamente en el viajero. No podemos seguir siendo escrupulosos en pequeñeces e insensatos en lo importante.

Sixth NHI Symposium

Mrs. Narda Garcia

CEO, Office of the Prime Minister

Keynote Speaker

“Re-thinking Health Priorities Post Covid”

Good morning distinguished participants, health care workers, speakers, invited guests, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the re-birth of the NHI symposium after a Covid caused hiatus! It feels good to be almost back to normal; It feels good to see people together again, joined by common cause.

Three years ago, the world looked bleak! Our generation was faced with a Global Threat that caused significant impact in our personal lives and hammered into our consciousness the vulnerability of humanity, and of course, the importance that HEALTH plays in the survival of the Human Species! It was a difficult time for families who saw their mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers die without even being able to give their last goodbyes, to allow for a peaceful transition into the after-life! It was also extremely difficult for the armies of health care workers and frontliners, that struggled to provide

6TH NHI SYMPOSIUM “Re-thinking Health Priorities

Post Covid”

On Saturday, February 11, 2023, Belizean medical professionals attended the Sixth National Health Insurance Symposium, which was held at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City.

This forum, entitled “NCD SYMPOSIUM 2023: Rethinking Priorities

Post- COVID”, was organized by the National Health Insurance, the Belize Medical and Dental Association, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Belize Social Security Board.

During the one-day event, different medical experts presented on the status of non-communicable diseases within Belize’s population in the three years since COVID-19 became a global public health threat. They also discussed emerging trends in the health needs of patients both domestically and internationally and the best practices that health officials at home and abroad have developed to try and meet that demand.

Ms. Narda Garcia, CEO in the Of- the necessary interventions to preserve life and avoid dissemination of the scourge named COVID. They saw family, friends, neighbors, succumb to death right before their eyes…and there was nothing they could do! The Psychological trauma, in addition to the physical toll it took for them to maintain the health services functional, was an event that is wished on no one and we hope does not recur in our lifetime! But from every difficult event, however traumatic, there is a lesson to be learned. It is my sincere hope that we have learned valuable lessons from this traumatic experi- ence, that will allow us to be prepared should we ever have to face another challenge similar to COVID. Otherwise, all the lives lost, all the pain and suffering experienced will be for naught!

After the battering that humanity took with this pandemic, life and health profiles have changed. In some cases, existing problems have been made more acute, while other new health problems have come to the fore and must be addressed. The challenge of picking up the pieces for those that were afflicted with Chronic Non-communicable diseases is a huge one; the issue of mental health has surged to the forefront, made so much more acute after the battering people took with the social and health related injuries from COVID; And yet, there are new challenges brought about by the long-term effects of COVID, the so called LONG-COVID. The existing literature points to the need for a team approach to deal with these cases, with multiple areas of expertise being involved. Are we preparing for this? Are we even organized in a manner or fashion as to evaluate and manage these cases properly? Including the mental health support required?

It is obvious that this virus is here to stay and will undergo many mutations along the way. This will call for yearly vaccinations similar to the Flu….are we prepared?

And then again, there is that Global threat we are not paying attention to…..Antimicrobial resistance and the indiscriminate use of antibiotics! The emergence of multiple antibiotic resistant bacterial strains has raised a global red flag which has been mostly ignored by our medical professionals. Covid presented an instance where we saw this! Azithromycin seemed to be used as frequently as the Vitamins, and we know, guided by WHO protocols, that this should have been judiciously used in very specific instances. Access to antibiotics by the general public is extremely easy! And people learn very quickly to copy prescription patterns, even if the knowledge base does not allow for them to perceive the damage or potential threat that is caused by the indiscriminate use of antibiotics. The inclusion of this topic today is therefore a timely one!

It would be remis of me to end without touching on a topic dear to my heart. One that I see in a similar light as the COVID pandemic, HIV/AIDS. In the early 80’s when the Human Immunodeficiency Virus was identified as the cause of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, in a similar fashion to COVID, it began to spread in a lethal manner, probably not as fast as COVID due to its mode of transmission, but certainly more lethal. Today, we have basically found a treatment for this disease, and now we can re-classify it in a similar category to the Chronic Diseases (note, I did not say non-communicable). Technology and research have advanced at the speed of light, and every day new treatment and screening options are made available to us. However, it seems to me that the success of science has translated into a sense of conformity and appeasement from the fice of the Prime Minister and one of the keynote speakers at the symposium, told attendees, “After the battering that humanity took with this pandemic, life, and health profiles have changed. In some cases, existing problems have been made more acute, while other new health problems have come to the fore and must be addressed. The challenges of picking up the pieces for those that were afflicted with chronic non-communicable diseases is a huge one.”

Among the topics for exploration were the critical health issues affecting Belizeans post-COVID, including non-communicable diseases, the mental health strain on COVID patients and medical personnel, recommendations on antibiotic use, and mental health in the elderly.

Continued on page 7 ANNOUNCEMENT

The People’s United Party invites applications for those wishing to serve on the Executive Committee for the Corozal North Constituency.

Closing Date for Applications is Tuesday, February 28th, 2023 at 5 p.m. Applications must be submitted in Duplicate: One copy should be delivered to Chairman of the Northern Caucus and the Original delivered to the PUP Secretariat.