Washington, DC, September 28, 2023 (PAHO) – The 60th Board of Directors of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) concluded today in the US capital after the adoption of 12 resolutions, policies and strategies to strengthen health policies and programs. Health and regaining the profits lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Although we have put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, we must not let up,” demanded PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa called on America’s ministers and senior health officials. “We must use this situation as an opportunity to accelerate actions aimed at restoring lost gains and increasing the resilience of our health systems,” he added.
Dr. Barbosa stressed the importance of countries participating in efforts to improve their preparedness and response to future pandemics and public health emergencies and called on PAHO member states to “actively participate in the debates” of the to participate in an intergovernmental body. of the WHO Negotiating Committee, responsible for the development and negotiation of a new instrument to combat pandemics and for the proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR).
The 12 resolutions, policies and strategies of the 60th Board of Directors include:
Strengthening human resources for health to create resilient health systems, the purpose of which is to strengthen the formation and training of teams of professionals in different disciplines, especially in underserved areas of the Region. It also aims to promote decent working conditions for health workers and to support countries in developing national policies and plans and regulatory mechanisms for human resource management.
Improve mental health and suicide prevention. This strategy promotes the use of an intersectoral approach based on equity and human rights to promote and protect mental health that is inclusive of all people. It also supports the transition from long-term mental health facilities to community-based services and addresses suicide prevention.
Prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in children, adolescents and young people. This directive aims to strengthen surveillance and primary health care for the detection, diagnosis and treatment of noncommunicable diseases in children, adolescents and young people. It also promotes improvements in health promotion, prevention of noncommunicable diseases and reduction of their risk factors.
On Monday, September 25, delegates also discussed efforts to improve pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. During the meeting, PAHO presented a series of recommendations based on the external assessment of the organization’s response to COVID-19, including strengthening financing mechanisms and the use of new technologies.
On Tuesday, September 26, PAHO’s eradication initiative, which aims to eradicate more than 30 communicable diseases and related diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean, gained new momentum: Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Brazil and Uruguay presented their eradication efforts .
During this meeting, Dr. Barbosa highlighted the importance of leveraging lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to accelerate the pace of the elimination initiative.
Noncommunicable diseases “remain the leading cause of poor health, disability and death in the Americas region, accounting for 81% of overall mortality,” stressed the PAHO director.
The Better Care for NCDs: Accelerating Actions in Primary Health Care initiative, launched on Wednesday 27 September, aims to address this issue by increasing access to care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the primary health services will be expanded.
Five final reports on eliminating neglected infectious diseases were also presented during the 60th Board; Tobacco Control in America; strengthening key statistics; chronic kidney disease in agricultural communities in Central America; and health and tourism.
“We all agree that while we continue to build on our shared successes, there is still much work to be done to address ongoing health challenges,” noted Dr. Barbosa.
“Today, as we say goodbye, I would like to respectfully ask that we recommit ourselves to the Pan-American values of justice, excellence, solidarity, respect and integrity,” he pleaded.