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[ Belize Statistics ]

Basic Information About Belize    

For a very complete look at general statistics look to the World Factbook http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bh.html

Health Information (1)  

The following information is by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program. As it is a temporary on-line searchable source it is not possible to bookmark or hyperlink to the site.  Below is some of the information from the country study.

Rivers, streams, and creeks provide 70 percent of Belizean domestic water needs. Although the threat from industrial pollution was still limited in 1990, the lack of effective sewage systems in most communities, along with the use of these same water sources for laundry and bathing, posed significant health risks. Pesticide and fertilizer run-off in agricultural areas also posed potential problems.

Belmopan, a planned capital, was the only Belizean community to be served fully by a municipal sewer system in 1991. After more than ten years of financial and technical support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), a sewer system for Belize City was completed in the 1980s. However, as recently as 1991, most city households were still not connected to the system.

Government health policy emphasized primary health care, particularly for people most in need, such as children, pregnant women, and the poor. However, health care services were unevenly distributed between rural and urban areas, and many people in need lacked regular access. The government directed most of its health budget in the 1980s toward operating the eight hospitals located in the capital and district towns. Many of these hospitals were old, overcrowded, and in need of equipment and supplies. A new hospital, to be built with European funds, was planned for Belize City. Twenty-nine health centers served the remainder of the population, although less than 50 percent of the facilities were fully staffed. But even the fully staffed centers lacked a complete range of health care services. Only one facility specialized in caring for the disabled, and one in caring for the mentally ill. Both facilities were located in Belize District.

A lack of personnel hindered the development of the Belizean health care system. Fewer than 100 physicians worked in the country in the late 1980s. The country had a school of nursing and a program for medical technicians but lacked a school of medicine. Many Belizeans who went overseas to study medicine never returned home to practice. Indeed, during the 1980s, two of every three government doctors and virtually all of the dentists were foreign citizens.

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Health Information (2) 

A 1995 Poverty Assessment Report concluded that 33% of Belizeans were poor (unable to meet expenditures on basic food and non-food items), while 13% were very poor (unable to meet expenses on basic food items). Of heads of households, 24% of males and 31% of females were considered poor. In Toledo District, where a majority of the Maya live, 58% of the population was poor; 41% in Cayo District, and 25% of Orange Walk, Corozal, Belize, and Stann Creek Districts were classified as poor.

The 1991 census indicated that the majority of households consist of five or more persons. The 1996 Labour Force Survey showed a drop to 4.5 persons per household. Over 20% of households in the country had less than two persons. Average household size in rural areas was larger than in urban areas. Nationwide, 22% of households were headed by females, except in Belize District (33%). The census also indicated that 63% of houses had two or fewer bedrooms. Approximately 66% of all houses were either owned or being bought, while over 20% were rented.  Unskilled labor made up 63% of the workers in 1996. Of the employed force, 22% had not completed primary school, 47% had a primary school education, and 15% had completed high school. Mennonites had the highest employment rate (99.3%) and the Garífuna had the lowest (75.7%). The Creole and Mestizo comprised 75% of the unemployed force. Around 71% of the employed were males.

It is estimated that 100% of the urban and 69% of the rural population had a safe and adequate water supply. Belize District had the highest coverage levels (91%) and Toledo, the lowest (71%). The other districts have coverage levels between 82%-85%. Nationwide, 39% of the population had adequate sanitation facilities with 59% in urban and 22% in rural areas. Solid waste management is a problem throughout Belize; this is exacerbated by drainage problems in Belize District.

The leading causes of morbidity, based on the number of hospitalizations, were respiratory diseases, particularly in males. The second cause in males was intestinal disease. Among females, complications of pregnancy ranked first, respiratory diseases, second, and abortion, third. Orange Walk, Stann Creek, and Toledo districts reported respiratory diseases as leading causes of hospital morbidity during the period. In contrast, Cayo District reported complications of pregnancy as the leading cause, followed by respiratory diseases.

For more detailed health data please go the the PAHO website : http://www.paho.org/English/SHA/prflbel.htm

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