PAHO/WHO donates computer equipment to strengthen the Immunization Information Systems of the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ COVID-19 Vaccine Response

Immunization Information Systems (IIS) has quickly become a very important tool for the management of COVID-19 vaccinations. IIS is a confidential and computerized database that records all vaccination doses administered by the MoHW. With the support from this tool, the MoHW will be able to improve vaccination distribution, administration, and documentation.

The donated equipment will also strengthen the information system to provide fast, frequent and accurate reporting and measure the progress of COVID-19 vaccine uptake and coverage. This involves facilitating the registration of vaccines on the Belize Health Information System (BHIS) by providers at the vaccination sites, retrieving information for purposes of Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) surveillance, and conducting periodic administrative reporting of COVID-19 vaccination data.

“The IIS will assist the Ministry of Health and Wellness to identify populations at high risk for diseases that can be prevented through vaccinations such as COVID-19,” said Dr. Noreen Jack, PAHO/WHO Representative in Belize. “The equipment will host essential data to support immunization surveillance and operations that can, in turn, improve the country’s overall vaccination rates.”

The donation included:

• 35 Samsung Galaxy Tablets
• 19 Dell Laptops with carrying cases.
• 19 Microsoft Office Pro 2016 Licenses
• Nine (9) HP LaserJet Pro Printers with nine (9) Toner Cartridges
• Nine (9) MiFi Portable Wireless Routers

The Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr. Michel Chebat, expressed gratitude for the donations, “The Ministry of Health & Wellness, on behalf of the Government and people of Belize, expresses gratitude for the immense solidarity and the unwavering support we continue to receive from the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization towards the national COVID-19 response. These donations we have received today could not have come at a better time, a time when we continue to secure much-needed vaccines. This computer equipment will undoubtedly assist in strengthening the Immunization Information Systems (IIS) and will improve the registration of vaccines in the Belize Health Information System (BHIS). A vaccinated person brings us closer to stopping this COVID-19 pandemic. So, when it is your turn, go and get vaccinated. Love them, protect them, vaccinate them. Be COVID-19 safe! Get vaccinated, Belize.”

With a global pandemic like COVID-19, vaccination data plays a crucial role in an effective global response including reporting to in-country and international stakeholders and donors who support vaccination implementation and deployment. Strengthening Belize’s IIS can serve as a catalyst to introduce more efficient information systems that will improve the country’s overall health goals.