Belize. What happens to a lobster fishery in a country when ~70% of its lobster landed is involved in a traceability pilot and also in a Fishery Improvement Program (FIP)? The progress made in the Belize lobster fishery on traceability now involves the two lobster cooperatives (co-ops)—National and Northern—which account for nearly 70% of the country's lobster that retailers like Red Lobster and Costco purchase. While co-designing the FIP, which came after the traceability pilot, The Nature Conservancy managed to convince the second co-op of the value of traceability, not only to improve operational efficiencies, but to also improve fisheries management and secure a premium price for a product harvested sustainably. The Nature Conservancy collaborated with ThisFIsh, Future of Fish, and Vericatch to create a nearly complete verified traceability system (with VMS data) that allows landing data to be fed directly into the Belize Department of Fisheries database with the click of a button (and the Storied fish to reach the customer through a QR code). The pandemic caused a massive set back to not only the Department of Fisheries that witnessed its budget slashed in half and illegal fishing activity increase, but also to the fishers who weathered a huge drop in lobster demand (lobster tail prices went from $35/lb to $12/pound). In addition, funding to fully integrate traceability into the second co-op disappeared as projects closed before money could be spent during the pandemic. The Nature Conservancy made a huge pitch to the buyers to convince them to invest in these FIPS, and Red Lobster and Costco complied. Now, the focus is on funding the last bit of work to connect a full-chain bait to plate pilot that informs real time fisheries management, and empowers the fishers through data ownership. XXXX will continue to follow and support the progress of this traceability project when possible. SALT will share their successes and challenges with the LAC region.
Belize. The MOH is preparing a plan for trainings, drills, and simulations, and activities to monitor and evaluate them. No specific person or position has been chosen to develop an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at the national level. Drills are managed by the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO). Coordination with the MOH needs to be strengthened. There is a strong coordination between the MOH and the National Emergency Commission (CNE – Spanish acronym) to participate to joint trainings, exercises, and simulations. A plan still needs to be developed. Training, exercises, and evaluation activities in Costa Rica are managed by the National Liaison Center (NLC), which is responsible for the organization and programming of trainings, as well as for managing and requesting support from other institutions. The NLC maintains in the Guide for the Evaluation of Health Needs in Disaster Situations (EDAN – Spanish acronym) a list of people trained by the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on triage, pre-hospital care in emergencies, and communications. Each institution also has a list of trained people. These lists have not been consolidated at the national level. Trainings are conducted on different subjects related to public health disasters and emergencies, depending on the job of every institution. People who need to receive training are well identified, and the Costa Rica Social Security (CCSS – Spanish acronym) is working with them to address their training and exercise needs. The work carried out to strengthen the International Health Regulations (IHR) also supports the training needs. Simulations on subjects related to disasters have been occasionally carried out, mostly at country entrance points such as airports, seaports, and borders. The passing of legal and illegal immigrants to North America are potential vehicles of diseases that are infrequent or unknown in the region. The MOH collaborate with the National Commission for Disaster Reduction (CONRED – Spanish acronym) to jointly participate in training activities, exercises, and simulations. The MOH does not currently have an established plan for training activities, drills, simulations, and the corresponding monitoring and evaluation. Trainings are conducted according to requests and available funds. Lack of funds forced the cancellation of a simulation program. Trainings, exercises, and simulations are planned and carried out through the CONRED’s Office of Incident Command. Activities are ev...
Belize. The country has a health information system, which automatically sends epidemiological alerts in real time, and is the official source of information for decision making in public health emergencies. The Belize Health Information System (BHIS) provides individual information of patients in real time at all levels of the MOH. Surveillance is carried out in hospitals and health regions. Epidemiological alerts are sent whenever a case meets the alert level definition. Notifications are sent via e-mail to those in charge of local response and to decision makers. Case definitions of diseases prioritized for surveillance in the country are used. They are in the National Surveillance Manual, and are based on international surveillance standards. At the national level, the laboratory provides confirmation support. There is a close relation with the Caribbean Epidemiology Center (CAREC), where samples are confirmed. CAREC is a PAHO certified center. Belize has very close relation with the Embassies of Mexico, Brazil, and Venezuela, and with the MOH of Mexico, PAHO and the CDC. The MOH has regional teams that investigate potential outbreaks (e.g., influenza surveillance). Similarly, at the community level, community disaster response teams (CDRTs) investigate potential outbreaks. The CDRTs include health educators and community members, who are volunteer collaborators. An early warning system maintains information on preventable and communicable diseases. Sources for the data include health institutions, post disaster rescue teams, laboratories, and national hospitals. The early warning system does not document the risks of diseases due to vulnerabilities. The system is periodically monitored, and trainings on system management are frequently performed in order to promote adequate system management. In general, the private sector does not provide information on cases of epidemiological report. In Costa Rica, the surveillance system is defined by a pending decree that includes a chapter on the International Health Regulations, and highlights the important role performed by the laboratory in health surveillance. The decree does not include mechanisms to perform the evaluation of the surveillance system but it includes the investigation of rumors at the local level. The development of an early warning system has been favored through the IHR, and operational procedures have been developed, which helped the National Liaison Center making international reports, but a full...
