The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) virtually convened ministers of health and other authorities of the continent, to the 59th meeting of the Directing Council.
The 59th meeting of the PAHO Directing Council was held virtually from September 20 to 24, and it concluded with the adoption of 13 resolutions to promote health policies in the Americas and address the most urgent challenges.
The meetings of the Directing Council take place every year except when the Pan American Sanitary Conference is held every five years. In meetings such as this year's, the aim is to establish what some of PAHO's priorities will be for the promotion of technical cooperation for the Member States.
The director of PAHO, Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, explained the importance for the countries of the region to strengthen their health systems "so that they are more resilient and can respond to public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic." The director also highlighted the need for a policy that expands access to vaccines, essential medicines and health technologies.
The approved resolutions
Some resolutions approved this year by the Board of Directors are the following:
- Increase the production capacity of essential medicines and health technologies: Focused on the regional production of essential medicines and health technologies, this through government mechanisms that strengthen the capacity of each country to improve its research, development, innovation and production.
- Roadmap for the digital transformation of the health sector in the Region of the Americas: Seeks the development of professionals and infrastructure that promote the use of digital technologies in public health, always taking care of ethical and safety standards. "The resolution includes actions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as universal connectivity by 2030 and 'inclusive' digital health with an emphasis on the most vulnerable populations," they explained.
