Health insurance is essential when traveling to Belize. Although most villages in Belize provide health centers, reliable medical services or special care are only available in Belize City at an additional cost. If you’re planning on staying for longer than a few weeks, it may be wise to purchase Travel Insurance. It can be purchased online at the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) website and helps to protect you against incurred medical expenses while in Belize should you test positive for COVID-19. There are some things you can do to help protect yourself and reduce the cost of your Travel Insurance.
Public
Belize’s health sector provides essential healthcare services for residents. However, their coverage and accessibility are severely restricted due to corruption, mismanagement, and a lack of resources within its system; all factors which hinder its development. Nonetheless, the government is working tirelessly towards improving this situation; working closely with IDB in making sure their improvements reach all citizens of Belize.
Belize’s public hospitals lack adequate medical supplies and may have high rates of maternity-related complications and low levels of antenatal care, leading to low antenatal attendance rates. Furthermore, chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes have become prevalent. The Belize government is currently working towards mitigating these issues through various reform initiatives as well as investing in an e-health platform.
This platform will serve as an integrated database of health information to aid doctors in making more informed decisions, while simultaneously providing patients with an easy way to track their own records and obtain tailored treatment advice. The purpose is to ease chronic disease burden and empower individuals to take control of their own health.
Belize’s government is also investing heavily in public health education. Working closely with the Inter-American Development Bank, Salud Mesoamerica 2015 seeks to reduce maternal, neonatal and child mortality in poor districts of the country.
Belize’s government maintains several regulatory bodies for overseeing its insurance market, with OSIPP acting as one of them. OSIPP licenses insurers and underwriters to operate within Belizean borders while conducting on-site and off-site supervision of domestic insurers as well as investigating complaints. It is a member of both the Caribbean Financial Supervisory Authority (CFSA) and the International Association of Insurance Supervisors; in addition, training courses for insurance professionals are also provided under its auspices as it oversees domestic business for financial institutions within its jurisdiction. In the Belizean insurance industry competition is intense compared with similar industries worldwide.
Private
Belize’s private health insurance sector has experienced rapid expansion and is now highly competitive. Primarily provided through major medical plans (BUPA and IMG), private health insurers offer a comprehensive selection of benefits such as coverage for preexisting conditions, emergency evacuation, and trip cancellation as well as coverage for injuries not covered under public systems. Private insurers must adhere to requirements established in the National Insurance Act and be licensed and regulated by the National Insurance Commission.
Private sector workers are eligible for social security schemes designed specifically for them. These provide old-age benefits, survivor grants and funeral expenses for persons who have contributed at least 150 contributions as employees, cash benefits for disabled employees, and funeral costs for the deceased. It covers all private sector employees except casual workers, military personnel, and those aged 65 years or over.
Though Belize has made remarkable strides forward, gaps still exist when it comes to access to quality healthcare and improvements need to be made in some of its most vulnerable communities. To support efforts in this regard, the IDB will work closely with the government and will offer assistance through community-based platforms and quality improvement interventions for maternal, neonatal, and child care.
Additionally, IDB will assist in building a community health workforce and increasing public awareness about health issues through advocacy, education, and community-based management approaches as well as mobilizing and training of health volunteers.
IDB will also assist in the establishment of a system of quality assurance in the private sector and facilitate more equitable distribution of resources. The initiative will include creating a centralized registry of providers as well as an accreditation process; all this work will be accomplished with input from both the Ministry of Health and other relevant parties.
As well as these initiatives, the IDB will also continue to aid the establishment of a regional health information system that will promote the dissemination of information and strengthen coordination between national and regional systems for disease prevention, control, and treatment as well as providing a basis for developing common standards for quality healthcare services across the Caribbean region.
International
Belize is a small tropical nation of over 300,000. Its government works closely with the U.S. to combat illicit narcotics trafficking and increase citizen security by strengthening justice sector capacity, adopting community policing philosophies, engaging at-risk youth in programs designed to decrease their appeal of criminal gangs, as well as providing military assistance to support its ability to address border security issues.
Few studies have explored how T2D populations in Belize manage day-to-day care during and beyond the pandemic, yet our research indicates that people living with diabetes in this country vary considerably in how they access services depending on their economic standing prior to and during the pandemic. People with more financial resources had access to private clinics, brand name prescriptions, home care, dentistry services, out-of-country surgery options, gym memberships, herbal doctors and other wellness supports while those without such financial means experienced longer-term complications due to unforeseen financial implications.
This research employed mixed methods, comprising of surveys and interviews with 59 Belizeans with T2D from rural and urban settings across Belize. This project was initiated as a joint effort among the Belize Diabetes Association, World Diabetes Foundation, and University of Manitoba; fully approved by their Human Research Ethics Board while their Steering Committee ensured local ethical and cultural protocols were abided by throughout its execution.
Contracts were signed with public sector primary care providers in the Southern Region to deliver an integrated package of services. These contracts include Dangriga Polyclinic, Independence Health Authority, Punta Gorda Polyclinic, and San Antonio Clinic as well as the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired; their purpose is to bring NHI into full operation by June 5th. The National Healthcare Insurance (NHI) scheme will be funded through social security contributions from employers and individual taxpayers as well as an initial contribution from the government. The insurance industry report provides an analysis of the rules and regulations governing the establishment and operations of insurance and reinsurance companies and intermediaries in Belize. It provides a thorough analysis of current insurance regulations affecting life, property, motor, liability, and personal accident/health policies as well as taxation systems currently used by insurers as well as key developments within their regulatory framework and legal systems.
Travel
Travel health insurance plans combine medical coverage and 24-hour emergency assistance services into one plan to provide travelers on the road with peace of mind. They cover medical expenses, lost luggage, and trip cancellation should an emergency arise. Many travelers purchase these plans to protect against unexpected events that can occur while away, as well as to navigate local laws and customs more easily.
Travelers to Belize should ensure they have access to sufficient medical care during their trip. This is particularly crucial for those suffering from chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease as the country’s healthcare system does not offer sufficient support for such individuals. Therefore, travelers should always carry their prescriptions and medical documents with them during their trip.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that all travelers obtain both hepatitis A and typhoid fever vaccinations before visiting Belize since the former virus can spread through food or water contamination and the latter through untreated or undercooked seafood. Furthermore, travelers should also be mindful of potential sexually transmitted infections and illnesses like HIV/AIDS/HIV as well as hepatitis B/C when eating at restaurants certified by the Belize Tourism Board.
Although Belize does offer access to reliable healthcare, it can be costly. Many expats with long-term health conditions must rely on neighboring countries such as Mexico and the US for regular or specialist treatment while others simply lack the finances required for care.
Belize roads can often be in poor condition, leading to accidents frequently. Drivers tend to disregard traffic rules and act recklessly. Travelers should always wear a helmet when cycling and avoid driving at night; additionally, travelers should bring along a first aid kit and develop basic emergency medical skills as a precautionary measure against mosquito bites that transmit diseases like dengue fever and malaria; additionally, heat-related illness should also be considered due to its highly humid climate.
