Washington DC, October 31, 2023 (PAHO) – The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, today received members of the Public Health Subcommittee of the European Parliament at PAHO headquarters in Washington DC to discuss health priorities. Successes, challenges in the Americas region.
The European delegation was composed of Sara Cerdas of the Socialist Party (Portugal), Sara Skyttedal of the Christian Democrats (Sweden), Tudor Ciuhodaru of the Social Democratic Party (Romania) and Catherine Amalric of the Radical Party (France).
«The EU and the Americas are natural partners linked by strong historical, cultural and economic ties, and the European Union has consistently been one of the Organization’s most important partners. For decades, PAHO and the EU have collaborated to advance priorities «said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa.
During the meeting, key health topics such as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), mental health and increasing regional manufacturing capacity were discussed, as well as strategic areas where PAHO and the EU could strengthen collaboration to reduce gaps health and build resilient health systems. and accelerate the post-pandemic recovery in the region.
“PAHO recognizes that the EU Global Health Strategy, launched in November 2022, is a robust and comprehensive tool, which addresses health as a pillar of EU foreign policy and aims to ensure better preparedness and response to health threats,” added the PAHO Director. .
At the conclusion of the meeting, PAHO expressed its readiness to strengthen its partnership with the European Union, emphasizing the facilitation of the EU’s strategic efforts in the Americas, including at regional, subregional and national levels, to move towards a post-European economy. -sustained and inclusive development. recovery from the pandemic. The organization also plans to facilitate the exchange of best practices within international frameworks such as EU-CELAC and BRICS.
Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, PAHO Deputy Director; Lou Valdez, PAHO Deputy Director; Oxana Domenti, WHO Representative to the European Union; James Fitzgerald, Director of the Department of Health Systems and Services of PAHO; Silvana Luciani, Head of the Noncommunicable Diseases, Violence and Injury Prevention Unit of PAHO; Renato de Oliveira, Head of the Mental Health and Substance Use Unit of PAHO, also participated in the meeting.
The meeting took place shortly before Dr Barbosa’s planned visit to Brussels, where he is expected to hold talks with members of the European Parliament.
