PAHO Director welcomes Brazil’s proposal for Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty within G20 – PAHO/WHO

Rio de Janeiro, July 24, 2024.- In a meeting with the President of the Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Regional Director for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, congratulated the Brazilian government for its proposal to create a Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty within the framework of the G20.

The exchange took place shortly after the pre-launch of the initiative, which took place today, July 24, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During his speech at the plenary session of the event, Dr. Barbosa also congratulated President Lula and the Minister of Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger of Brazil, Wellington Dias, for presenting the proposal.

The objective of the Global Alliance is to obtain resources and exchange knowledge for the implementation of public and social policies that have proven effective in ending hunger and poverty throughout the world.

According to the PAHO Director, the poorest populations are the most affected by diseases and exposed to risk factors, which in turn can lead to an even greater reduction in income. “Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages is intrinsically linked to the commitment to end poverty, hunger and malnutrition,” he said.

She noted that in the Americas, despite progress towards increasing public financing for health and efforts to promote financial protection mechanisms, out-of-pocket payments still represent a crucial barrier to accessing health services and push households into poverty.

“Approximately 34.4% of the population in this Region experiences unmet health care needs, which disproportionately affects those in the poorest income quintile compared to the richest,” she said, adding that 37.5% of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean also faces food insecurity.

In this context, the PAHO Director stressed that comprehensive policies and substantial public investments in health are needed to break this vicious circle and overcome inequalities. “Eliminating hunger and poverty is essential to guarantee a healthy life for all. Likewise, equitable access to health is crucial to accelerate the fight against hunger and poverty,” he said.