The European Union Reinforces Belize’s Health System: A Game-Changer for the Health Sector - EEAS

Belize City, Belize, July 6, 2026 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), in collaboration with the National Drug Abuse Control Council (NDACC), Ministry of Health and Wellness conducted the Northern Region Tobacco Youth Forums and Orange Walk Community Sensitization Session 2026 under the theme “Unmasking the appeal – countering nicotine and tobacco addiction.”The activities were held in Corozal and Orange Walk on 24–25 June 2026 and brought together youth participants, school representatives, guidance counsellors, teachers, health professionals, community rehabilitation stakeholders, community leaders, PAHO/WHO, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and NDACC district offices. The sessions formed part of national public education, youth engagement, and community preparedness efforts to commemorate World No Tobacco Day 2026. The Corozal Tobacco Youth Forum was held at the St. Francis Xavier Primary School Auditorium in Corozal Town on 24 June, followed by the Orange Walk Tobacco Youth Forum and an Orange Walk Community Sensitization and Preparedness Session held at the D* Victoria Hotel on 25 June.

A medical worker treats an infected patient at an Ebola treatment center in Bunia, capital of Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on Oct. 18, 2026. (Xinhua)At an Ebola treatment center in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), saving lives sometimes begins with persuading frightened patients not to flee. BUNIA, DR Congo, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- At an Ebola treatment center in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), saving lives sometimes begins with persuading frightened patients not to flee. For clinical psychologist Theophraste Tetunabu, fear can be as formidable an obstacle as the disease itself. Some patients are terrified of dying, others struggle with isolation from their families, while some become so distressed that they resist the very treatment meant to save them. "When patients are told they have tested positive, they fear death. Some may even decide to leave or run away," Tetunabu told Xinhua.