Health Ministers of the Americas to meet in Washington to set health priorities at the 61st PAHO Directing Council – PAHO/WHO

From September 30 to October 4, the Council will discuss and agree on strategies and plans to strengthen tobacco control, improve emergency early warning systems and strengthen the health sector in the face of climate change

Washington, DC, September 26, 2024 (PAHO) – High health authorities of the Americas will meet from September 30 to October 4 in Washington, DC, to participate in the 61st Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO ). During the sessions of this governing body, strategies, plans and policies will be discussed and analyzed and priorities for cooperation and technical collaboration will be set for the coming years.

opening ceremony

The inauguration ceremony will take place on Monday, September 30 at 9:00 am (Washington, DC time). The event will be attended by Fernando Boyd Galindo, Minister of Health of Panama and outgoing President of the Board of Directors; Loyce Pace, Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs, US Department of Health and Human Services; and Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO.

The secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro; the Head of the Social Protection and Health Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Pablo Ibarrarán; and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), and Dr. Adhanom Ghebreyesus will participate via video message.

After the event, Dr. Barbosa will present his annual report as Director of the regional health organization.

Main debates and expected decisions

During the week, delegates will decide key strategies and policies. Topics to be addressed include strengthening tobacco control in the region, promoting epidemic intelligence to improve early warning of health emergencies, accelerating the transformation of health systems, and strengthening the capacity of the health sector to address the threats posed by change. climate to health.

Other priority topics will include sepsis, health information systems, long-term care, as well as surgery, intensive care and emergency care. A roadmap will also be presented for the development of the PAHO Strategic Plan 2026-2031, which will be approved in 2025. This plan will establish the strategic direction of the Organization, along with the collective priorities and results to be achieved during that period.

Delegates will receive final reports on topics such as the entomology and vector control action plan 2018-2023, the action plan 2018-2023 for the sustainability of the elimination of measles, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome, and access and rational use of strategic and high-quality resources. -Cost of medications and other health technologies. Progress reports will also be presented on disparities in access and use of health services by LGBT+ people, and the digital transformation of the health sector, among others.

Events, awards and special meetings.

The 61st Board of Directors will begin with the 20th “Walk for Health”. This activity will take place on September 29 at 9:00 a.m., with a 3.62 kilometer (2.25 mile) walk through the Foggy Bottom neighborhood and Washington DC to promote physical and mental health.

Special events include briefings on the PAHO Elimination Initiative, which will take place on Monday, September 30 from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m., and on the pandemic agreement from 4:00 to 5:30 pm on Tuesday, October 1. From 12:30 to 2:00 p.m., topics related to telemedicine will be discussed, and from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the contributions of the Americas region to a sustainable WHO will be celebrated. The session on Wednesday, October 2, from 12:00 to 18:00. :30 to 2:00 pm, will focus on the elimination of cervical cancer.

The PAHO Award for Management and Leadership in Health Services 2024 will be presented on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 1.

The 61st Directing Council is scheduled to close on the morning of Friday, October 4.

Press accreditation

The Directing Council will be held at PAHO headquarters, located at 525 23rd St NW, Washington, DC. Members of the press interested in attending in person can register by emailing mediateam@paho.org.

Please include your full name, identification number and means of communication.

Journalists will also be able to follow the debates and briefings virtually on the PAHO website.

The Directing Council is one of the governing bodies of PAHO that brings together the highest health authorities of the Americas to discuss and analyze policies and establish priorities for technical cooperation and collaboration.