PAHO/WHO Country Cooperation: Belize 2008-2011

Abstract

[Executive Summary] Over the period of January to July 2008, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) undertook a participatory process to formulate a Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) for its work with, and in, Belize over the mediumterm. Led by the PAHO/WHO Representative in Belize, a CCS team comprising members from all levels of the Organization worked to define and implement the process for developing the Belize CCS, based on previous experiences in PAHO and the revised (2008) CCS methodology formulated by WHO. Significant preparatory work was done, including a review of documents, the development and/or revision of tools to gather and process information on health and health-related issues in Belize, and consultations held with key players within and outside of the Organization on national health priorities and needs. In addition to this qualitative information, the CCS noted national health development priorities as outlined in frameworks such as the Belize Health Agenda 2007–2011, the National Poverty Elimination Strategy and Action Plan 2007–2011, and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework 2007–2011. These priorities were analyzed in the context of global, regional, and subregional agreements that impact health—such as the Millennium Development Goals, the WHO 11th General Program of Work 2006–2015, the Health Agenda for the Americas 2008–2017, and the Caribbean Cooperation in Health initiative— as well as that of PAHO/WHO’s comparative advantage as a technical cooperation agency in assisting Belize to address identified national health development priorities. The CCS reflects objectives for technical cooperation set out in the WHO Medium-Term Strategic Plan 2008–2013 and the PAHO Strategic Plan 2008–2012.