Belize NCD Commission

by HCC
BELIZE NCD COMMISSION
COMMISSION PROFILE
Status as at September 2023 Inactive
<!----> <!-- -->
Country Belize
Name Belize NCD Commission
Status as at September 2023 Inactive
Date of establishment -
Date of first meeting 2009
Date of last meeting -
Number of meetings over past 12 months Meetings are held 3 times per year
Chairperson’s name Dr. Michael Pitts
Title -
Organisational affiliation -
Duration of tenure -
Legal authority/reference -
Location(sector/entity) -
Mandate/Scope of work Advocacy, advise on programmes; Implied mandates for advice on policy or legislation, implementation of programmes, monitoring and evaluation or hospital services review. No explicit mandate for research or resource mobilization
Terms of reference No
Conflict of interest policy No
Code of ethics No
Standard operating procedures No
NNCDC strategic plan/plan of action
Duration of strategy of plan of action		 Being developed
Decision-making process (consensus, majority, other) -
Membership and Personnel 3 ex-officio and 6 members
Government sector membership and level of representation Ministry of Education and the Bureau of Standards
Civil society membership and level of representation Trade Union, Health NGOs and Women’s groups
Private sector membership and level of representation Private Health Sector
Ex officio members Chief Medical Officer, NCD Focal Point, and Health Promotion Officer
Secretariat exists? If so, please give date of establishment No
Resources
  • The Commission gets support from professional technical staff of the Ministry of Health from time to time. It has no dedicated technical or professional staff
  • The ministry of health has completed a NCD plan that goes up to the year 2023, it is to be made operational this year
Full-time human resources/functions No
Part-time human resources/functions No
Main functions (advisory, accountability, strategic planning, project/programme implementation, other) -
Main areas of interventions for NCDs and NCD risk factors -
Other health issues that the NCD/Wellness Commission /Wellness Coordinating Mechanism addresses -
  • Is there integration – structural or functional, with other health-related Commissions, such as HIV Commissions?
  • If so, to what extent? Fully? To a large extent? To some extent?
 The HIV focal point also carries out the functions of the NCD focal point, but there is no connection with Mental Health
Framework(s) of reference (national policy, strategy or plan; international plans/strategies) -
Focus of interventions (legislation, taxation, policy development, project/programme development, project/programme implementation, capacity building, surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, other) -
Work groups/subcommittees/task forces and their functions -
Accountability mechanisms (periodicity of monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and to whom; financial accountability mechanisms) There is no annual report
Main successes
  • Draft strategic plan
  • Ministry of Health is starting to actively play a more active role
  • A wider response in the private sector is gradually increasing
Success factors -
Specifically
  • Were there any successes due mainly to the participation of non-health sectors in the Commission?
  • If yes, please summarize, highlighting the role played by the non-health sector(s)
 -
Main challenges
  • Stakeholder involvement
  • Budgetary constraints
  • Lack of interest for those outside of the health sector
How were these challenges overcome? Specifically:
  • Did changes in administration disrupt the Commission’s functioning?
  • If yes, what were these changes and their effects?
  • If no, how was continuity of function maintained? What steps were taken?
 -
Partnerships, technical cooperation (TC) – please summarize partners and relevant TC areas None
Main source(s) of funding and approximate percentage of funding from each source None
Indicative annual budget (USD) None
Resource mobilisation, main areas None
Mechanisms for sustainability None
None
NNCDC ADVOCACY WORK
Status as at December 2021 Inactive (no information available)
MENTAL HEALTH
Develop and implement a comprehensive mental health plan that complies with international human rights instruments,
includes allocated human and financial resources, and undergoes regular monitoring against indicators or targets for implementation		 -
Decriminalize suicide, suicide attempts and other acts of self-harm -
Increase public awareness about mental health and how to stop discrimination through campaigns that involve
individuals living with mental disorders and psychosocial disabilities		 -
Introduce brief interventions for hazardous substance use -
Advocate with other sectors such as housing, education, social welfare etc for the support of people with mental disorders
and psychosocial disabilities		 -
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Does the NNCDC structure include a position for a youth representative? -
Is the NNCDC connected to other organizations that prioritize youth engagement? -
Has the NNCDC utilized social media campaigns to target youth? -
5 NCD RISK FACTORS
TOBACCO USE
Reduced affordability of tobacco products by increasing tobacco excise taxes and prices -
Protect people from tobacco smoke by creating, by law, implementing completely smoke-free environments in all indoor workplaces, public places, and public transport -
Warn individuals of the dangers of tobacco and tobacco smoke through effective health warnings and mass media campaigns -
Implement and enforce bans on all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship -
Ban the sale of tobacco to minors -
Support plain packaging and pictorial health warnings on cigarette packages -
Implement measures to minimize illicit trade in tobacco products -
Assess the usage and impact of e-cigarettes, and develop appropriate control measures if indicated, including through legislation and regulations for tobacco control -
PHYSICAL INACTIVITY
Raise public awareness of physical inactivity through mass media public spaces and other programmes -
Develop population-based, age-specific guidelines on physical activity. -
Advocate for the design of public spaces that are supportive of physical activity. -
UNHEALTHY DIET
Reduce salt intake and salt content of food -
Replace trans fats with unsaturated fat -
Raise public awareness of unhealthy diet through mass media and other programmes -
Place taxes on sugar sweetened beverages -
Implement nutritional labelling policies which promote consumption of healthier foods and beverages -
Develop and implement school policies which restrict the availability of unhealthy foods and beverages within schools and their surroundings -
HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL
Raise excise taxes on alcoholic beverages -
Regulate commercial and public availability of alcohol -
Enforce restrictions or bans on alcohol promotion and advertising -
Collaborate with NGOs and Ministry of Transport to educate the public on the harmful use of alcohol -
Advocate for the introduction of breathalyser testing -
AIR POLLUTION
Improve housing conditions and ensure access to clean energy sources for indoor cooking, heating and lighting -
Create awareness and develop appropriate strategies to reduce exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in households -
Phase out health-harmful subsidies for fossil fuels and polluting industries and introduce penalties for polluters and/or taxes on pollution -
Include air quality measures in urban, rural and transport planning at city, regional and national level, including measures to encourage modal shift and active mobility, noting the additional benefits to health, wellbeing, and reduction of health inequalities -
Adopt and strictly enforce emissions standards for all pollutants in all relevant sectors, including industry, energy, transport, waste, and agricultures -