Chelsea Simms lives in Punta Gorda, a fishing village on the southern Caribbean coast of Belize. She is 25 years old and has just given birth to her second child. The first was delivered by cesarean section. The second almost took her life. In early April, Chelsea began feeling unwell but didn’t recognize the symptoms as signs of labor. Nevertheless, she went to the local … [Read more...] about Saving Lives with Quality Health Services: The Experience of Belize
Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo
Health Spending in Latin America and the Caribbean Will Double by 2050: What Can Be Done?
Health spending is a major concern in our region, for households and governments alike. Two recently published studies that were commissioned by the IDB examine how health spending may evolve in the near future, what drives these changes, and what can be done. Health Expenditures Are Growing Fast but Not Equally The first paper projects that health spending will rise … [Read more...] about Health Spending in Latin America and the Caribbean Will Double by 2050: What Can Be Done?
Towards a More Supportive Care Model for Pregnant Women in Mexico
Several countries in Latin America are implementing various programs to improve pregnancy and childbirth care and thus reduce maternal, neonatal, and infant morbidity and mortality. Some examples include Plan Nacer in Argentina (later integrated into Plan Sumar), Rede Cegonha in Brazil, and Código Rojo in Bolivia, all of which have reported positive results. In Mexico, … [Read more...] about Towards a More Supportive Care Model for Pregnant Women in Mexico
Quality in Health Care: 10 Key Lessons
In February of 2025, we gathered to celebrate ten years of work by the Salud Mesoamerica Initiative, a strategy that has enabled us to strengthen maternal and child health care for the most vulnerable populations in eight countries: Belize, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the state of Chiapas in Mexico. During the event, I had the … [Read more...] about Quality in Health Care: 10 Key Lessons
How Social Determinants Shape Health in Latin America and the Caribbean: Insights from a New Report
Health is about more than access to doctors and medicine. It is shaped by where we live, the air we breathe, the jobs we have, the education we receive, and the social connections we build. These factors—known as the social determinants of health (SDH)—play a fundamental role in shaping our well-being and life expectancy. In a new report from the Inter-American Development … [Read more...] about How Social Determinants Shape Health in Latin America and the Caribbean: Insights from a New Report