About us
Protecting and improving the health of everyone in Belize
The Ministry of Health & Wellness is responsible for the stewardship of Belize's health system: setting policy, delivering public health and clinical services, and financing primary care through National Health Insurance.
- Life expectancy at birth
- 73.7 years (2024)
- Infant mortality
- 15.87 per 1,000 live births
- Districts served
- All six
A system in transition
Belize's health outcomes have improved markedly over the past two decades. Life expectancy at birth rose from 68.9 years in 2000 to 73.7 years in 2024, and infant mortality fell from 21.2 to 15.87 deaths per 1,000 live births.
At the same time the country's disease burden has shifted. Non-communicable diseases now sit alongside communicable disease as the dominant challenge, requiring a health system built around continuous primary care rather than episodic treatment. Structural reforms — the National Health Insurance scheme and the Belize Health Sector Strategic Plan 2025–2034 — respond directly to that shift.
What the Ministry does
Stewardship of the health system
Setting national policy, standards and legislation, and holding the system to account for the quality and safety of care.
Public health and prevention
Surveillance, immunisation, vector control, environmental health, food safety and health promotion in every district.
Service delivery
Operating regional and community hospitals, polyclinics, health centres and outreach services across the country.
Health financing and NHI
Commissioning primary care through National Health Insurance and managing the public health budget.
Workforce
Recruiting, registering, onboarding and developing the health workforce, including through the Digital Learning Academy.
Health information
Collecting, protecting and publishing the data the country needs to make decisions and report on progress.
Strategic priorities to 2034
The Belize Health Sector Strategic Plan 2025–2034 sets the direction for the next decade. The Ministry reports publicly against its indicators each year.
- Strengthen primary health care as the first point of contact
- Reduce premature death and disability from non-communicable diseases
- Extend National Health Insurance coverage nationwide
- Build a resilient, well-trained and well-supported health workforce
- Digitise health information and use it to manage the system
- Improve emergency preparedness and climate resilience