PAHO urges countries to focus on primary health care

The strengthening and transformation of health system in the region of the Americas using the primary health care approach was the focus of a high-level dialogue between PAHO director Dr Jarbas Barbosa and Health Ministers and other health leaders of the Americas.

In a release, PAHO said the virtual event took place on Wednesday as part of the World Health Day commemorations and to honour the World Health Organization on the 75th anniversary of its creation.

Barbosa said expanding primary health care is key to addressing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly given that 240 million people currently live with a chronic condition in the Americas.

To ensure a focus on primary health care, Barbosa urged countries to strengthen the stewardship of health authorities, the governance of health systems, improve social empowerment, and develop integrated health services focused on primary care.

“The leadership role of national health authorities is undeniable. Countries must now invest in creating, strengthening, and institutionalizing spaces for social participation where people can learn, participate, get involved, and hold health leaders and systems accountable to address collective needs.

“Achieving universal health in our region requires our joint effort and collaboration. From the Pan American Health Organization, we reiterate our commitment to provide all our technical capacity to support member states in achieving this objective.”

Barbosa said some of the achievements in primary care in the Americas over the past decades included an increase in life expectancy, the eradication of endemic transmission of measles, rubella and congenital rubella, and a reduction in infant mortality.

“Despite this progress, low levels of investment, fragmented health systems and limited response capacity at the first level of care mean that barriers to access health remain, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable.”

He said the pandemic has also exposed, exacerbated, and created structural health system challenges that have further deepened inequalities and affected response capacity and results in the field of public health.

“We aspire to develop and achieve health systems that have the capacity to prepare for and respond effectively to an emergency, maintain basic functions when a crisis occurs, and reorganize and transform if conditions require.”

Present at the meeting were Brazil’s Health Minister Dr Nisia Trinidade Lima, Guyana’s Health Minister Dr Frank C.S. Anthony, El Salvador’s Health Minister Dr Francisco Alabi, México Salud-Hable Coalition’s coordinator Juan Núñez Guadarrama, and Colombia’s vice minister of public health, Dr Jaime Urrego.

Anthony said Guyana recognised that primary health care was the foundation of its health care system.

“That’s why we’re placing so much emphasis on the development of primary health care, to give people access, to ensure people have an expanded range of services they can get and also to bring it as close as possible to their communities so they can benefit from all of these services.”