By Belize Live News Staff: Belize’s health sector is focusing on one of the most dangerous and often misunderstood medical emergencies: sepsis.
With support from PAHO/WHO and the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the Government of Belize convened a National Workshop on Sepsis Care Pathways Implementation to help strengthen the country’s response.
The workshop used international tools, including the WHO Core Clinical Care Readiness Tool and SCCM’s 10 Steps to Improve Sepsis Care in Low-Resource Settings, to help local health teams review how patients move through the system from first symptoms to treatment.
The goal is to identify where delays happen, where resources are lacking and how health facilities can improve survival outcomes.
A major focus was the connection between sepsis and antimicrobial resistance, commonly known as AMR.
Health experts warned that antibiotics remain essential in treating sepsis, but misuse and overuse can contribute to drug-resistant infections that make future treatment more difficult.
The workshop reinforced the need to embed antimicrobial stewardship into every stage of sepsis management, from the first dose of treatment to decisions about de-escalation and treatment duration.
The activity aligns with the regional Strategy and Action Plan to Reduce the Burden of Sepsis for 2025 to 2029.
PAHO says it will continue supporting Belize and other Caribbean countries as they improve sepsis care, strengthen antibiotic use and build more resilient health systems.
