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The 41st meeting of the Belize Medical and Dental Association started today at the Caribbean Motors conference hall.

It's a three day conference targeting medical and dental professionals, providing a gateway to an exchange of knowledge among practitioners in Belize and neighboring countries. Jomarie Lanza stopped for day 1 of the Conference:

The 41st Medical and Dental Association Conference took place this morning with more than 100 medical professionals in attendance. Not only is the event a networking opportunity for practitioners but it also takes a look at ongoing health impacts of climate change, vector borne diseases and other concerns these practitioners encounter while working with patients.

Perlita Aldana, President, Belize Medical and Dental Association
"There are different modules or educational sessions. The first one we have this morning is focused on climate change and we will have some later this evening on mental health. We also have on HIV palliative care you know for cancer patients and also diseases that affect or are transmitted through vectors. Malaria we will have later today or tomorrow we are supposed to be having those topics. Before we tried to focus on things that are affecting us directly because we need to have our doctors informed and prepared so that they can better give back to the community."

One of the Keynote speakers at today's event was Dr Melissa Diaz Musa. She spoke to us about the importance of the ministry's relationship with the BMDA and how the conference serves as a platform to connect and share knowledge with others in the medical field.

Melissa Diaz Musa, Director, Public Health and Wellness
"The congress this BMDA congress has been happening for quite a number of years now and this year the Congress the theme of the congress is ensuring that we enhance public Health initiatives in health. And because I am the director of public health and wellness I was asked to give the Key note address so some of the areas that we discussed or exactly what has been done in country to promote public health. And public health basically encompasses prevention of diseases increasing immunization, vaccines improving your diet ensuring that we have a healthy population and a population that's able to produce and perform."

The 15 booths that participated in this year's event are the sponsors for the conference. And they too also benefit from interacting and promoting their products to the dozens of practitioners in attendance, including Belizeans, Mexicans and other Regional guests.

Perlita Aldana, President, Belize Mental and Dental Association
"We have members of the Belize Medical and dental association. We have others form the non members still physicians working in the country we have nurses we have lab technicians, pharmacologists different allied health services. We have the participation of our Mexican counterparts, Dr Francisco Laraustanga from El Colegio Médico de Quinta Roo and tomorrow we are expecting Dr Clara Esquivel from Peten she is the president of the medics association there and she will be, both of them are participating in conferences in this years congress We have presenters from the Cuban medical brigade. We also have presenters from the United States and some of them are in person others are virtual but we have a variety it depends on what area we need the expertise then we call on them. And we have a lot of presenters, most of them are Belizeans presenting on different specialized areas."

It's a three day conference.