La OPS fortalece el acceso a datos de salud a través de su Portal de Indicadores Básicos – OPS/OMS
Washington, DC, August 7, 2024 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has recently optimized its Basic Indicators Portala tool that provides crucial health data for 49 countries and territories in the Americas. The initiative was created in 1995, where data was disseminated through printed brochures. As of 2021, the online portal was created, which now offers a more detailed and accessible view of the health situation in the region.
The platform integrates data from diverse sources to facilitate in-depth and comparative analysis. Individuals can examine and download information on mortality trends, morbidity, health risk factors, socioeconomic and demographic indicators. Presenting data in a disaggregated form allows exploring the differentiated interaction of access to health services and social determinants, providing valuable inputs for territorial analyses of health outcomes.
“The portal offers comprehensive information on demographic aspects, socioeconomic and environmental factors, health impacts, and the response of health systems, both at the regional and national levels,” said Sebastián García Saisó, Director of PAHO’s Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Health Action. Available data include incidences of HIV and congenital syphilis, dengue cases, infant and maternal mortality, and the density of health professionals, such as dentists, physicians, nurses, and pharmacists.
Since 2021, the portal has been enriched with new functionalities, including dynamic dashboards with tables and graphs covering 140 indicators and their disaggregations by sex, age, urban/rural, among others. These tools allow for a more detailed and precise analysis of the data. In addition, new tools have been added: Technical sheets that ensure the correct interpretation of the information.
“The Basic Indicators Portal remains a fundamental resource for policy formulation, data-based decision-making, and strengthening health information systems. It also contributes to monitoring and advancing the health objectives set for the Americas,” García Saisó said.
