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According to the World Health
Organization, non-communicable
diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause
of death in Belize, followed by diabetes,
coronary heart disease, strokes,
hypertension, liver diseases and kidney
diseases. Belize’s Ministry of Health
has also found that over 60 percent
of the country’s population is obese,
and that the prevalence of chronic
diseases such as adult hypertension
and diabetes exceeds 30 percent,
creating daunting health problems.
Since these demographic groups are
a high risk for chronic kidney diseases,
then if Belize is unable to control such
diseases effectively, patients in these
high-risk groups will face the possibility
of needing dialysis at relatively early
ages. The high medical costs involved
are a serious burden to Belize.
Helping to Build a Basic Prevention
And Control System Focusing on
Prevention and Capacity Building
In light of Taiwan’s ample experience
in preventing chronic diseases, in
August 2013 Belizean authorities
submitted a related request, and the
TaiwanICDF and Far Eastern Memorial
Hospital dispatched a joint identification
mission to Belize. Subsequently, a fact-
finding and appraisal mission was also
dispatched to Belize in April 2014.
As part of this process, it was found
that there is room for improvement in
Belize in terms of both front-end disease
prevention and back-end treatment
services. In particular, there is insufficient
experience of preventing or raising
awareness of chronic diseases. Lacking
the full picture on epidemiological
information, Belizean authorities are
unable to take effective preventative
measures against diseases, resulting
in a continuing increase in the number
of patients suffering from end-stage
renal disease, which in time may prove
to be a heavy economic burden.
Based on the findings
of their investigation and
drawing on Taiwan’s
own experience, the
TaiwanICDF and Far
E a s t e r n M e m o r i a l
Hospital then designed
the Capacity Building
Project for the Prevention
and Control of Chronic Renal Failure in
Belize, marshaling domestic experts in
chronic disease – particularly chronic
kidney disease – to help Belize in
building a basic prevention system.
In terms of project goals, the
TaiwanICDF and Belizean authorities
have reached a consensus that
the project’s resources focus on
disease prevention, and with capacity
building based around treatment. By
strengthening public health education
and promotion capabilities regarding
ch ron i c d i seases , by bu i l d i ng
specialized medical capacity for chronic
diseases, by establishing a case
management and tracking system, by
providing epidemiological statistical
analysis reports and by providing
recommendations on optimizing the
economic value of dialysis operations,
this project will help Belizean personnel
to develop prevention programs suited
to local conditions. From March to
May 2014, Belizean physicians were
invited to Taiwan to undergo specialized
training in renal medicine and familiarize
themselves with Taiwan’s prevention
model. The TaiwanICDF will dispatch
a project manager to implement the
project once the relevant cooperation
agreement is concluded.
Chronic disease
prevention and control
is not only an important
issue for Belize; it
i s a l so a p ress i ng
regional issue facing
the governments of
Latin America and the
Caribbean. Thus, if this
prevention and control system can be
built effectively, it will be able to serve
as a reference for chronic disease
prevention and control for all countries in
the region.
Capacity Building Project for the
Prevention and Control of Chronic
Renal Failure, Belize
80
Medical institutions capable of
screening for high-risk cases
of chronic renal failure
%
Case Study
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