Bulletin Health Systems and Services - PAHO - June 2022

PAHO Executive Committee concludes with call to strengthen regional health goals post- pandemic

The 170th Session of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Executive Committee concluded with several resolutions passed to strengthen collaboration to support health goals in the Americas, the regional COVID-19 response, and measures to bolster the organization’s ability to support countries, particularly during health emergencies.

PAHO’s Director calls for greater cooperation to increase regional self-sufficiency for medical products

PAHO's Director, Carissa F. Etienne, called on countries to increase long-term investment in public health, both financial and human capital, to ensure universal health and improve the resilience of systems against future health threats.   

Health gains at the IX Summit of the Americas

The need to strengthen health systems post-pandemic gained momentum with the adoption of the Action Plan on Health and Resilience at the IX Summit of the Americas. As the health organization of the Inter-American System, PAHO participated actively to promote the inclusion of health in the political agenda of the Summit.

Investing in health should be among our easier choices, PAHO Director tells high level delegates at Summit of the Americas

At an event bringing together US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Economy and Health from the region, PAHO Director, Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, called for greater spending in health in the aftermath of COVID-19.

PAHO calls for solidarity after 20% drop in blood donations in Latin America and the Caribbean during first year of the pandemic

In the framework of World Blood Donor Day, PAHO calls for people to donate blood following a 20% drop in blood donations in Latin America and the Caribbean during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to 2017, according to latest data.

500,000 health workers to receive training under new joint initiative from PAHO and the United States

PAHO has welcomed the United States announcement of the launch of Americas Health Corps – Fuerza de Salud de las Americas, a joint, US/PAHO initiative to train 500,000 public health workers throughout the region over the next five years.

Summit of the Americas: Our region must take a longer view of public health spending

"As leaders gather for the Ninth Summit of the Americas, hospitals are filling up and COVID-19 deaths are rising in countries across the region — again". Opinion, by Carissa F. Etienne. 

EU-Latin America and Caribbean Partnership: manufacturing vaccines, medicines and health technologies and strengthening health systems

The President of the European Commission and the Prime Minister of Spain launched a new European Union – Latin America and Caribbean partnership on local manufacturing of vaccines, medicines and other health technologies, and strengthening health systems resilience, that will complement and further enhance social, economic and scientific ties between the two regions.

PAHO Strategic Fund publishes its 2021 Annual Report

In 2021, the Strategic Fund supported more than 41 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean with essential medicines, diagnostics, and other health technologies across a range of communicable and noncommunicable diseases, including HIV and tuberculosis, leishmaniasis and Chagas disease, and cancer and hypertension. 

The path to post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery is through building resilient health systems in the Americas

PAHO participated in the seminar on "Transformation of health systems: trends and challenges", organized by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Brazil), where experts discussed the transformations that health systems must make to improve their capacity to prepare for and respond to future pandemics.

PAHO participates in the Brazil-OECD Week

From 20-24 June 2022, the Brazilian government and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) organized a series of high-level events to promote debates on Brazil, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and on Brazil's adhesion to the OECD.
Available in Spanish

Directors of Regulatory Authorities in Central America oversight on effective solutions to address countries´ challenges in health regulation

Nicaragua hosted the meeting of National Regulatory Authorities directors and technicians from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, to update the status of the joint evaluation of dossiers and determine future actions for its implementation.

Countries of the Region advance in strengthening the regulatory capacity of medical devices  

PAHO organized the X Meeting of Regulatory Authorities for the Strengthening of the Regulatory Capacity of Medical Devices in the Americas in the context of the activities of the Regional Working Group on Medical Device Regulation. 

More must be done to protect nursing workforce as COVID cases rise in the Americas, says PAHO Director

As COVID cases and hospitalizations once again rise in the Americas, PAHO Director, Carissa F. Etienne, has called on countries to urgently increase investments to develop and retain the nursing workforce.