But perhaps the biggest challenge for Marin’s ministry is the nationwide rollout of NHI. Government needs $30 million and it only has $6 million.
Hon. Pablo Marin, Minister of Health
“We only have $6 million for the NHI program to run in the south side and in the south of Belize. We need about $30 million to run this program all around the nation. We don’t have that financial money right now.”
Dr. Peter Allen,
“The NHI, as the Minister very likely said, has a significant cost and so right now with the assistance of the IDB, the Inter-American Development we are conducting a review of all possible alternatives for the finances that would be required for the NHI to be raised. The Ministry is committed to continue providing the best quality of primary health care that we can throughout the country. The enhancement of that through the NHI will continue in the south of the country and the south side of Belize and we will have more detailed information by the end of July.”
Hon. Pablo Marin,
“The system is still running around, we are finding the solution to this problem because it is a big problem. We want to take the health system to another level.”
The biggest accomplishment touted by the Ministry is that since the start of the year there have been no maternal deaths. It might not seem important but 5 years ago, about 150 mothers were dying during child birth annually. The Ministry is again building a computerized information system which is 70% complete. They also have a new website http://www.health.gov.bz.
