Strengthening post-market surveillance of quality and safety of medicines and vaccines in Belize

Belize City, Belize, 13 August 2026 (PAHO/WHO) - The Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW), with technical cooperation from the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), convened the workshop "Strengthening Post-Market Surveillance of Quality and Safety of Medicines and Vaccines in Belize" on 12-13 August at the Grand Resort Hotel in Belize City.

The activity brought together the MoHW Drug Inspectorate Unit, pharmacists and medical-service leaders from national and regional hospitals, private-sector pharmacists, importers and wholesalers, academia, and patient representatives. PAHO technical experts Robin Rojas, Gabriela Carrasco and Danini Marin facilitated the technical sessions and practical exercises. The workshop was supported by the Universal Health Coverage Partnership (UHC-P).

Sessions connected pharmacovigilance and vaccine-safety monitoring with the broader surveillance of product quality. Participants reviewed adverse drug reaction and adverse event following immunization reporting, suspected substandard and falsified medical products, use of VigiFlow and VigiMobile, national reporting pathways, and the roles of institutions across the system.

"This workshop is an important step in a longer effort to strengthen regulatory capacity, improve patient safety, and ensure that all people in Belize can have confidence in the medicines and health technologies they receive." - Dr. Karen Lewis-Bell, PAHO/WHO Representative in Belize.