During the 2024–2025 biennium, PAHO played a central role in strengthening health sector governance in Belize by supporting the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW) to develop and operationalize the Health Sector Strategic Plan 2025–2034 and its first results‑based operational plan.  

PAHO provided sustained technical cooperation to assess the capacity for essential public health functions (EPHF), convene stakeholders, align national programs around EPHF gaps identified and shared priorities, and introduce a coherent results framework that links activities to outputs and outcomes. This support went beyond document production, embedding results‑based management principles within national planning and fostering a culture of accountability and performance monitoring within the MoHW. The strategy prioritizes people‑centered integrated care, reduction of mortality from communicable and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and strengthened health promotion and community participation, ensuring alignment with coverage objectives under a health for all approach.  

By translating long‑term strategic intent into a practical, time‑bound operational road map, PAHO enabled Belize to move from aspirational planning to actionable implementation. This achievement contributes directly to improved stewardship and governance, enhances coordination across sectors, and provides a scalable model for future planning cycles, ultimately strengthening the enabling environment for access to quality health services for all and sustained health system performance. 

Photo caption: A national stakeholder accessing Belize’s Health Sector Strategic Plan 2025–2034 at the official launch, using a QR code  

Credit: PAHO/Zenena Moguel