Belize Central America’s HIV Capital Tourism Danger

It’s illegal to sell condoms in Belize, a country with the highest rate of HIV in Central America.  More than 2 percent of the population is HIV or AIDS-infected, which is the same rate as Ethiopia and Angola.

While condoms are widely available for sale in supermarkets, pharmacies and corner tiendas and also available at public clinics, this ancient prohibition remains on the books. What does this tell us?   Like many other countries facing cultural barriers to condom use availability is not the issue.  Stigma against its use is the problem. 

My review of Belize government programs and services finds almost no reference to condoms and their use in preventing the spread of the disease. No politician is responsibly urging their use.  No government public awareness programs telling the population how to protect itself. No warnings to tourists.   There’s not even a mention of the word on Belize’s National AIDS committee site. 

According to a 2010 report issued by the Belize Ministry of Health and Pan American Health Organization, the Caribbean is now considered the second most HIV/AIDS affected region in the world after sub-Saharan Africa.  Condoms and cultural barriers to their use was widely discussed in that report, however.

The Ministry/PAHO report further states that among the Central American countries, Belize has the highest estimated prevalence rate of HIV among adults aged 15-49.  For the last five years, HIV/AIDS has been the fourth major cause of death among Belizean men and women The report goes on to caution that the real numbers are likely much, much higher. No indication in the report of efforts by the government to change condom laws or encourage their use, even among its identified vulnerable population groups.

Last year the HEU, Center for Health Economics, based at the University of the West Indies, released its report, regarding the impact of HIV on tourism.  Tobago has an HIV rate that almost parallels Belize’s.  The report is said that country was on the verge of a tourism economic disaster. You have to conclude Belize is in the same boat.   Most of the HIV transmission to tourists is sourced through the commercial sex trade. 

Belize was highlighted in the recently released UNAIDS OUTLOOK Report 2010.  According to the report, the Belize government launched a sexual health program in which more than 150 peer educators were trained and two additional youth-friendly spaces opened as safe places for students to access information about HIV.  No info about this from Belize directly.  No mention of HIV/AIDS in its touted strategic health plan.  With the scope of the problem obvious to everyone, you would think a strategic health plan would include prevention measures for spread of HIV as one of their priorities.  Not the case in Belize.

The Belize Ministry of Health web site, recently updated and re-launched, gives no clue as to what programs and services the government offers to prevent the spread of the virus or help those infected.   In principle, they are supposed to be industriously engaged in free testing, voluntary counseling and making available antiretroviral therapy.  Only reference on their site is an epidemiological report on the 2009 situation, confirming the gravity of the situation.