2023 Highlights – PAHO focuses on primary health care, communicable diseases, and pandemic preparedness – PAHO/WHO

Washington DC December 27, 2023 (PAHO) – As the year comes to a close, it is time to reflect on some of the highlights of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), as well as the main advances towards health in the Region of the Americas:

Dr. Barbosa begins his term as Director of PAHO – On January 31, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa was sworn in as the new Director of PAHO and pledged to work with Member States to end the pandemic and ensure that the region’s health systems recover stronger than before. .

The COVID-19 emergency ends – On May 5, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accepted the advice of the Emergency Committee on COVID-19 and announced that the pandemic would no longer constitute a public health emergency of domestic concern (PHEIC). .

The end of the COVID-19 emergency It marked the beginning of a year of recovery and reconstruction for the Americas and has allowed us to refocus on other health priorities, including non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the elimination of infectious diseases and pandemic preparedness.

Connecting Health for all – On July 25, PAHO celebrated five years of collaboration in information systems and digital health with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This partnership is crucial to helping national health systems use data to become more resilient.

This year has also seen the continued development of PAHO Regional Innovation and Production Platform, to promote the regional development of vaccines and other health technologies, thus reducing the Americas’ dependence on imports in times of emergency. On October 2, Dr. Barbosa signed a new agreement with Argentine health, science and technology authorities to increase capabilities for the development and production of mRNA vaccines for regional use.

Better care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – On September 27, Dr. Barbosa launched Better Care for NCDs: Accelerating Actions in Primary Health Care. This initiative aims to help countries ensure primary health care services that are high quality, safe, comprehensive, integrated, accessible and affordable for all.

In September, PAHO Elimination Initiative, which seeks to end more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions in Latin America and the Caribbean, received a new boost. Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, including a deeper understanding of health inequalities, will serve as an opportunity for countries to accelerate the pace of the initiative.

COP28 – In December, PAHO was also at the forefront of conversations on the health impact of climate change at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, where PAHO Deputy Director Dr. Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, highlighted the work of the organization. strengthen actions to develop climate resilient health systems.

To ensure that PAHO is in the best position to support the countries of the Region in rebuilding health systems after the pandemic and strengthening emergency preparedness, this year the The Director of PAHO also launched OPS Adelantean initiative to improve the efficiency, transparency and accountability of PAHO.