2006 Press Releases
The U.S. and Belize Collaborate to Address Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS (January 24, 2006)
Belize City, Belize – Ms. Allison Williams, Practical Nurse/Contact Tracing Investigator and Counselor at the Port Loyola Health Center Comprehensive Clinic, departed Belize on Tuesday, January 24, 2006, for a three-week multi-regional program on “Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS.”
Ms. Williams’ three-week program is sponsored by the United States Government’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), a 57-year-old exchange program that fosters mutual understanding between the United States and other countries through international educational and training programs that reflect visitors’ professional interests and support the foreign policy goals of the U.S. Department of State and United States embassies around the world.
Ms. Williams will spend nearly one month traveling across the United States where she will meet with representatives from numerous government, business, academic, non-governmental and international organizations. As part of the program Ms. Williams will also participate in sessions designed to examine the global impact of infectious diseases and the pandemic of HIV/AIDS on economic growth and development, public health, political stability, social cohesion, and national and regional security.
The visit to the United States of Ms. Williams highlights the collaboration between the U.S. and Belize in addressing HIV/AIDS. Ms. Williams said that she intends to enhance her knowledge in the area of contact tracing as it relates to HIV/AIDS, and hopes to bring back with her examples of best practices from the other participants that can assist the Ministry of Health’s efforts to halt the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and to address other infectious diseases in Belize.