PAHO/WHO Country Cooperation: Belize 2017-2021

Abstract

The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) provides technical cooperation through the PAHO/WHO Country Office in Belize. The Country Cooperation Strategy outlines the medium-term vision that will guide PAHO/WHO’s work Belize in support of the country’s National Health Sector Strategic Plan 2014-2024. PAHO/WHO works with the MOH (as its main counterpart) and other partners to strengthen health sector capacity and advance priority programs. The priorities of the CCS are also aligned to the PAHO Strategic Plan 2014-2019 (HSSP), “Championing Health: Sustainable Development and Equity” and to the health and health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and encouraging greater multisectoral collaboration in the country. PAHO is committed to ensuring that all people have access to the health care they need, when they need it, with quality and without fear of falling into poverty. Through its work, PAHO promotes the concepts of Universal Health and Health in All Policies (HiAP). This five (5) year CCS builds on the achievements of the 2008-2011 CCS and the technical cooperation provided by the PAHO HQ and the Country Office since 2011. The development process was participatory involving all levels of PAHO and a wide range of stakeholders at the national level. It used a results-based management framework approach to clearly identify results at each level, the relationship between planning and accountability and the respective responsibilities of Belize, PAHO and other relevant agencies. The (Country Coperation Strategy) CCS’ Strategic Agenda lays out the Strategic Priorities (SPs) and Focus Areas (FAs) for PAHO’s Technical Cooperation with its member countries. The SPs constitute the medium-term priorities for PAHO/ WHO’s cooperation with Belize, on which the Organization will concentrate the majority of its resources over the CCS cycle. The CCS FAs are the “what”, reflecting the expected achievements required to realize the strategic priority. Each focus area should link directly with at least a HSSP priority, a PAHO Strategic Plan outcome, indirectly with a health or health-related SDG target and the development priorities of the UN MSDF for the Caribbean. Based on the findings of the recently completed Health in Americas 2017 Chapter for Belize, consultations with senior technical officers from the Ministry of Health and considering national, subregional and global frameworks as well as the PAHO Strategic Plan 2014-2019, four (4) SPs were identified for the focus of PAHO’s technical cooperation for the 2017-2021 Country Cooperation Strategy.