_{Photo: (l-r) Dr. Julio Sabido; Hon. Kevin Bernard; Dr. Karen Lewis-Bell; and Xavier Canton-Lamousse (Team leader from the European Union)}

by Orlando Pulido

BELMOPAN, Sat. Sept. 21, 2024

A process of digitization of Belize’s health records is currently taking place in the country. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoH), unveiled on September 19 at the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan the Clinical Data Exchange Platform (CDEP), which utilizes a combination of open-source platforms—with funding coming primarily from the European Union (EU).

In his keynote address, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Hon. Kevin Bernard, stated that CDEP will bring the interoperability of critical health systems “… benefiting many generations to come.” Hon. Kevin Bernard also indicated that CDEP forms part of Belize’s digital agenda to digitize all Government ministries.

Dr. Karen Lewis-Bell from PAHO Belize reminded all that quality health information is needed to inform Belize’s epidemiological and disease profile. Thus, CDEP was a collaborative effort spanning two and a half years.

Kevin Canton-Lamusse, team leader from the EU, also added that CDEP updates the Belize Health Information System (BHIS). The EU has invested in cutting-edge digital technologies during the last 24 months, adding new capabilities to the BHIS.

The BHIS is a comprehensive, web-based electronic medical record system used to document and track medical interventions for every patient. Each patient is assigned a unique client number, which healthcare providers use to access their medical history and provide timely and efficient care, regardless of where the patient seeks medical attention within Belize. Both CDEP and the BHIS will be able to exchange data.

“We have different systems that can feed into the epidemiological unit, where our biostatisticians and the epidemiologists will analyze the data that is received and create reports for us to make better decisions in health along with the CDEP. The platform has also strengthened a lot of the features of BHIS [Belize Health Information System], said Dr. Melissa Diaz Musa, the Director of Public Health and Wellness.

Dr. Melissa Musa also stated that “it is an information system for health records, so it helps us in terms of it is more user friendly; it will integrate other areas. You have heard the mention [of] the vital stats, the CRVS [Civil Registration and Vital Statistics] as well, so it will really be bolstering data and information that we get with regards to the public, helping to ensure that proof of births as well as the death certificates are utilized more efficiently and effectively.”

CDEP will now be able to exchange data from the platform that is used to provide support for the National Health Insurance (NHI). Lizett Bell, the Deputy Director of Hospital Services, also added that “… in the future, this particular system will be able to match any other clinical system that is out there for them to integrate the data, and we will be able to have access to that data through the CDEP.”

PAHO representatives were also in the Vaccine Room in Belmopan last Thursday to deliver blood pressure equipment and Human Papillomavirus HPV swabs.

“Our country has been a part of the elimination of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is second to breast cancer in terms of the cause of significant mortality in females, and our country, we are on board. We have introduced the HPV vaccines; we are targeting children 10 to 14 years old. This was introduced in 2018, and in 2023 we introduced the HPV swabs; so we have also gotten a donation of 10,000 HPV swabs to bolster up our campaign to fight cervical cancer,” said Dr. Melissa Diaz Musa.

As for the Clinical Data Exchange Platform, the Ministry of Health will ensure its sustainability, having identified additional funds for its continuation for the next two or three years. It was a joint national effort, involving international partners to offer data interchange and to manage critically important medical data.