BELMOPAN, Thurs. Nov. 18, 2021 — On Thursday, November 18, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology, granted scholarships to 45 nursing students — 30 of whom received Practical Nursing Scholarships, while 15 received scholarships to pursue a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nursing.

This is a first-time initiative of the Ministry of Health, which made the decision to grant the scholarships as part of an effort to address a chronic shortage of trained nurses in the country.

The total value of the scholarships, which will cover tuition and fees, is estimated to be BZ$236,250. In his address at a ceremony at which the scholarships were awarded, the Minister of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology, Hon. Francis Fonseca outlined the importance of nurses in modern healthcare systems. He noted that the ongoing pandemic has made it abundantly clear that nurses are the centerpiece of Belize’s healthcare system, and that his ministry is committed to providing Belizeans with opportunities to become trained, highly skilled nurses. “We at the Ministry of Education are absolutely committed to your success, and we pledge to do everything possible to provide more scholarship opportunities, more educational assistance to our students and nurses along with the Ministry of Health and Wellness,” stated Minister Fonseca to the scholarship recipients.

For his part, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Hon. Michel Chebat, noted that the shortage of nurses highlighted the need for multisectoral partnerships, and he thanked the Minister of Education, Hon. Francis Fonseca, for his continued support and for facilitating the granting of the scholarships.