PAHO chief calls for greater cooperation between health, economy

Washington, Mar 21 (Prensa Latina) The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Jarbas Barbosa has called for a closer alliance between the health and economy sectors to avoid a “triple crisis” such as the one generated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which stretched economies, safety nets, and health systems to the limit.

March 21, 2023
17:57

The PAHO Director called for increased public spending on health beyond the current levels of 4.4% of GDP to build more resilient health systems, with primary health care as the foundation to address health needs of peoples and communities where they live.

He also called for greater coordination on cross-cutting issues that impact both health and economic sectors, such as strengthening regulatory capacity and supply chains for medical products.

“Investing in health is a political choice, and it is also the right choice,” Dr. Barbosa concluded in his remarks. “Protecting the region’s health is fundamental to advance economic and social development and to attain peace and security.”

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