8. Provision of family planning and child spacing education and contraceptive products to women to prevent too many pregnancies (Less than five children recommended) and the accompanying complications. 9. The Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) provided a grant that is being used to finance a project aimed at Improving Children’s Health and Nutrition in Poor Mayan Communities in Toledo All of these services, except for the last one, are provided countrywide through the MOH network of seven hospitals, 34 health centers and through outreach services provide on mobile clinics. Home visits are also done to clients who do not return for follow-up care including immunizations and prenatal care. The 240 Community Health Workers who provide voluntary service are the link between the community and the health system. They identify at risk clients and provide health education and health promotion activities in their individual villages. There is strong collaboration for technical, financial, and material resources with UNICEF, PAHO, JSDF, Hand in Hand Ministries, the International Children’s Hospital, BCVI, BFLA, the World Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank and the Global Fund. Bilateral agreements with Cuba, Nigeria, Guatemala and Mexico also aid the management and delivery of programs to families and children. Challenges related to the provision of services for the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of children with diverse ability are mainly financial and insufficient health human resources. Occasionally, supplies are out of stock which is often relieved by borrowing from the MoH Mexican or Guatemalan counterparts. According to Dr. Marjorie Parks, Deputy Director of Health Services (Nursing), the Ministry of Health does not have any specific programs to address children with physical or intellectual disabilities. The National Plan of Action 2004 to 2015 (NPA) target is to increase the accessibility and affordability of mental health services to all children and their families but outlines strategies which are unlike the other health targets that are specific and measureable. This goal should be
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realized by including mental health services for children and adolescents in the National Health Insurance package; develop, implement and enforce protocol for the clinical management of sexual violence, domestic violence and child abuse cases; review and revise mental health policies and legislation to include provisions for children; and develop and implement comprehensive public awareness programs on mental health issues affecting children. Approximately 50 children annually get tertiary medical care including surgeries and corrective procedures through international corporations. These procedures are mostly done in the United States without cost to the children’s families. All patients are screened in clinics in Belize by the respective organizations before they are finally selected for corrective surgeries and procedures abroad.