
Washington DC, October 3 (2024) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) signed an agreement today to continue collaborating to strengthen the health of the Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon .
The agreement follows seven years of cooperation between the two organizations and will focus on three main areas: indigenous health, health and climate change, and access to health in remote areas, including through the development of situation analysis, epidemiological surveillance and health technology. interventions.
“The renewal of this partnership between OCTA and PAHO is a very important step to strengthen cooperation in the Amazon, which is the largest and most diverse rainforest on the planet, because we have many challenges to overcome, particularly in the area of health” . said Vanessa Grazziotin, OCTA Acting General Secretary.
“We need to create solutions that respect sociocultural diversity and guarantee access to public health, promoting social inclusion and combating poverty, he added.
Cooperation between the Organizations will also focus on the training of indigenous community health workers in order to strengthen capacity and retain human resources for health, particularly in border areas.
“Ensuring the health of indigenous peoples is a priority for PAHO,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO. “I welcome the renewal of this agreement with OCTA, which will allow us to continue our vital collaboration to address barriers to access to healthcare for all people in the Amazon region.”
To address issues related to health and climate change in the region, PAHO and ACTO will also develop activities in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Minamata Convention. on Mercury.
About the Pan American Health Organization
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) works with the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of their population. Founded in 1902, it is the oldest international public health agency in the world. It serves as the WHO Regional Office for the Americas and is the specialized health agency of the Inter-American system (Organization of American States).
About the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO)
ACTO is an intergovernmental organization formed by the eight Amazonian countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela, which signed the Amazon Cooperation Treaty in 1978. The Organization works on political-diplomatic, strategic and technicians in the region, building synergies between governments, multilateral organizations, cooperation agencies, civil society, social movements, scientific community and society as a whole.