By Breaking Belize News Staff: Despite comments from Prime Minister John Briceño to the media on Friday, saying he would discuss the matter of access to contraceptives for women as outcry from the public continues over the Ministry of Health and Welness’ enforcement of prescription medication including contraceptives, the Ministry has released a statement doubling down down on their prescription crackdown.
Following the Ministry’s release on contraceptives being included as part of broader moves to enforce prescription regulations, outrage quickly spread online, eventually reaching the Prime Minister’s own wife, Special Envoy for Women and Children, Rosanna Briceño. Speaking to the media on Friday, the Prime Minister said he received an earful from the Special Envoy. “Weh wrong with you all?” The Prime Minister said his wife grilled him regarding access to contraceptives for vulnerable women.
She also openly questioned the Ministry’s data regarding correlation between birth control and cancer and blood clots, to which the Prime Minister said he agreed.
“Sometimes for want of the perfect, we mess up on the greater good for the people and this is just such a case,” the Prime Minister said.
It is a strong quote from the Ministry of Health’s boss, who apparently had not gotten the memo because just hours later, the Ministry issued a release doubling down on its position, warning that “…patients with chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, or asthma to conduct follow-up visits with their health care provider to prevent complications of these diseases and even early death.
In addition to this, contraceptives are also prescription medicines due to the need to assess the risks and benefits, and utilize the consultation for opportunistic screening, prior to initiation of one of the various forms of contraceptives available.”
For now, at least, the enforcement remains in effect. The Minister and CEO have yet to comment on the matter.
The post Despite PM’s wife’s, Special Envoy for Women, asking ‘What’s wrong with you?’ Ministry of Health doubles down on prescription crackdown and tells women, hypertensives, diabetics and asthmatics ‘go to the doctor’ appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: Despite comments from Prime Minister John Briceño to the media on Friday, saying he would discuss the matter of access to contraceptives for women as outcry from the public continues over the Ministry of Health and Welness’ enforcement of prescription medication including contraceptives, the Ministry has released a statement doubling
The post Despite PM’s wife’s, Special Envoy for Women, asking ‘What’s wrong with you?’ Ministry of Health doubles down on prescription crackdown and tells women, hypertensives, diabetics and asthmatics ‘go to the doctor’ appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
