Ministers and high health authorities of the Americas call for more equity and solidarity to better face future pandemics

Geneva, May 23, 2023 (PAHO) – The ministers and delegates of the Americas region addressed the World Health Assembly this week in Geneva (Switzerland) where they reviewed the health situation following the COVID-19 pandemic. 19, highlighted lessons learned and considered better preparedness for future emergencies, including their position on the future instrument on pandemics being discussed within the WHO.

Here, some highlights of their interventions.

Argentina: in the deepest crises opportunities are generated

After congratulating the WHO on its anniversary and thanking its teams for helping countries deal with COVID-19, the Minister of Health of Argentina, Carla Vizzotti, considered that the pandemic “has made visible those who are fighting to achieve equitable access to critical inputs such as vaccines”.

“If the pandemic left us something, it is the lesson that opportunities are generated from the deepest crises,” he stressed, adding that regional capacities to produce critical inputs were strengthened, including Argentina, which was selected by the WHO as one of the mRNA vaccine production centers.

Minister Vizzotti recognized the work carried out to strengthen surveillance and genomic sequencing and said that Argentina was summoned to be part of the Leadership Committee of the International Pathogen Surveillance Network that was launched on Saturday within the framework of the Assembly .

“We have the opportunity and the inescapable responsibility to maintain health as a central axis on the political agenda, this requires even more multilateral and regional integration, more cooperation, more development, but above all more solidarity and more empathy,” he stressed.

The Minister of Health also shared the country’s progress on regulatory frameworks for non-communicable diseases, a bill sent to Congress to ratify the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and efforts to control tuberculosis and prevent antimicrobial resistance. .

Brazil: national health systems better prepared for emergencies to come

The Minister of Health of Brazil, Nísia Trindade, highlighted the need to have “national health systems that are better prepared against the emergencies that will come.

Dr. Trindade urged learning from the lessons of the pandemic that “left six million dead in the world, 700,000 of which were in Brazil, with a great impact on the health system, mental health, the economy and the social fabric in general.

“Brazil is back: we resume our agenda in defense of equality in health, the culture of peace and multilateralism,” he stressed before the World Health Assembly in Geneva.

The Brazilian health minister considered that the world needs to “strengthen surveillance and health systems in general”, as well as “redouble efforts in innovation, technology transfer and financing” to move towards “more equitable health systems”.

“We must decentralize the production of medicines, vaccines and other strategic inputs to guarantee their equitable access to everyone,” he stressed and called for work to “reduce inequities, including inequality in access to the benefits of scientific and technological knowledge ”.

For Minister Trindade, a reinforced multilateralism will be important. “We will not achieve these goals without a reform of the global health architecture.” However, she considered that for the new instrument on pandemics to be successful, “we must create a stronger health diplomacy, based on the principles of equality and solidarity.”

Peru: countries still face the devastating consequences of the pandemic on their health systems

Ambassador Luis Chuquihuara, Permanent Representative of Peru to the UN in Geneva, said that although a few days ago COVID-19 ceased to be considered a public health emergency of international importance, “countries are still facing the devastating consequences of the pandemic in their health systems.

“Other diseases such as dengue and natural phenomena such as the coastal child, which recently affected northern Peru, continue to test and affect numerous health establishments in our country,” he said.

Chuquihuara considered it essential to strengthen the international health architecture, particularly to prevent future pandemics. “Peru is convinced that the new international treaty – to face future pandemics – must have as its main pillar the principle of equity, which will guarantee universal access to medical countermeasures such as vaccines without discrimination or privileges,” he stressed.

The Ambassador of Peru also said that his country has presented to the 76th World Health Assembly, together with a group of countries, a draft resolution on the impacts of chemical products, pollution and waste on the human health, after highlighting that pollution is considered by the UN as one of the three planetary crises that affect humanity and disproportionately impacts developing countries and vulnerable to natural disasters.

“Peru will continue to support the strengthening of multilateralism and the WHO and will constructively support efforts to strengthen global, regional, and national capacities for preparation and response to health emergencies and future pandemics,” Chuquihuara said.

Chile: it is essential to increase solidarity and multilateral cooperation

Chile’s Minister of Health, Ximena Aguilera, stated that the COVID-19 pandemic “reshaped the global health landscape and showed the interdependence between health security and economic security.”

According to Aguilera, “the crisis also exposed the enormous inequities that exist between States, as well as within countries, embodied, for example, in the unequal availability and distribution of vaccines during the emergency.”

“It is therefore essential to increase solidarity and multilateral cooperation, and Chile is committed to this, as well as to improve capacities for preparation, prevention and response to health emergencies both globally and regionally and in each of our countries with the WHO at the center of this process”, he stressed.

Minister Aguilera pointed out that Chile had three priorities to face the direct consequences of the pandemic, as well as to address the structural problems related to the lack of equity and justice in access to health: recovering the capacity of health services and reduce waiting times; addressing the mental health of the population that “is seriously affected”; and “advance in guaranteeing the right to health by building a fair and dignified health system.”

“Chile is moving towards universal health coverage based on primary care (PHC) with universal and free access,” he said. “At the end of the Government, they want the PHC of half of the country’s municipalities to be universally accessible. In addition, all public hospitals have been made free for their users, who represent 80% of the population, reducing out-of-pocket spending,” he added.

El Salvador: when there is a vision and political commitment at the highest level, the most complex challenges are overcome

After highlighting “the optimism that overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic implies”, the Vice Minister of Health Management and Development of El Salvador, Dr. Carlos Alvarenga, affirmed “the importance of having a global vision of health as an imperative for the international development agenda and a common good of humanity”.

Dr. Alvarenga thanked the WHO for supporting El Salvador during the pandemic. “We are the best example that when there is a vision and political commitment at the highest level, the most complex challenges are overcome,” he said.

According to the Salvadoran Vice Minister of Health, the pandemic has taught them “the importance of strengthening the health system through the development of comprehensive health networks, the modernization of infrastructure and equipment, the strengthening of the supply chain and equipment, epidemiological intelligence, the use of new technologies, the development of human resource skills, and digital transformation as a springboard to improve the quality of health services”.

“Our objective is to continue transforming the health system to achieve sustainable well-being that guarantees a better future for the next generations,” he said. “Let us continue working together to guarantee the right and access to health for all humanity”, advocated Dr. Alvarenga before the 76th World Health Assembly.

Canada: addressing the parallel pandemics of mental health, substance use and gender-based violence

Canada’s Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Carolyn Bennett said the lessons of COVID-19 “reaffirm the need to work with international partners to reduce barriers to health and care, but also to address parallel pandemics.” mental health, substance use and gender-based violence”.

On the 75th anniversary of the birth of the World Health Organization, Bennett considered that “today more than ever we need the leadership of the organization” and celebrated the words of the first Director General of the WHO, the Canadian psychiatrist Brock Chisholm, who said that “Without mental health there can be no true physical health.”

The Minister of Mental Health and Addictions of Canada highlighted the improvement in the collection of information during the pandemic, something that made it possible to know the situation of vaccinated, hospitalized and deceased in real time. “Now we have to build on that improved data to achieve better community health indicators and real-time data to address ongoing inequities in health access,” she said.

“We have to listen to science, to communities and to those who have life experience.”

“The past very difficult years have highlighted how important the lessons learned today will be in enabling us to successfully prevent, prepare for and respond to a future crisis,” Bennett said, adding that Canada is supporting efforts to update the IHR and develop an international instrument to pandemics. “This also shows that it is crucial to develop a global health community where everyone is included and participates in a meaningful way,” she confided.

Ecuador: working for health is a collective responsibility

The Minister of Health of Ecuador, José Ruales, considered that the WHO “is essential to have a positive impact on health governance”, as well as to prepare Member States to “better respond to possible disasters or pandemics and to face other challenges in health”.

“Working for health is not an individual responsibility of a country but a collective one that must articulate various actors at the local, regional and global level, that is why we promote South-South, North-South Cooperation, multilateralism and regional integration especially in the Americas and in the Andean Area”, he indicated.

Dr. Ruales called to “continue working collaboratively and in solidarity worldwide for health” after considering that “the path traveled in the last 75 years with the WHO and 120 years with PAHO has been worth it, the advances are important, but there is still a long way to go to achieve health for all”.

The Ecuadorian Minister of Health also highlighted the Ten-Year Health Plan promoted by his country. He pointed out that the government defends equality in health, which is why Ecuador is working on strategies to deal with nudity. child chronic nutrition and gender violence.

He also mentioned that they work to “improve the living conditions of the population and keep people healthy,” as well as promote disease prevention.

Dr. Ruales pointed out that they are working to improve timely and quality care, and stressed that in this sense they are promoting digital transformation, intercultural health and community mental health.

Guatemala: multilateralism has allowed us to achieve significant progress in health

The Vice Minister of Primary Health Care of Guatemala, Dr. Edwin Montúfar, highlighted the fact that the world has entered a post-pandemic phase of COVID-19, an emergency, he said, that “introduced new challenges to public health at the global”.

On the 75th anniversary of the birth of the WHO, Dr. Montúfar considered that “multilateralism has allowed us to make significant progress in terms of health, however, we continue to face health crises that are affected by armed conflicts around the world.”

During his speech, the Vice Minister of Primary Health Care of Guatemala listed some of the health advances in his country, including the deployment of comprehensive health care and nutrition brigades to combat malnutrition.

“Due to the intercultural nature of Guatemala, we face the challenge of providing health care with cultural relevance. For them, we work hand in hand with more than 19,800 midwives, responding to the care of indigenous peoples”, she recounted.

X also highlighted that his country has begun offering care to non-communicable diseases at the rural level, and that, through the National Digital Health Strategy, Guatemala has brought telemedicine to some local communities.

“Care for preventable diseases is a priority,” stressed Dr. Montúfar.

United States: Let’s commit to an agreement on the future instrument on pandemics

The US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, called on delegates attending the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva to commit to “get agreement on both the pandemic instrument and the amendments of the International Health Regulations (IHR) in the coming year”.

“Let’s seize this moment and regain momentum to achieve our global health goals, embrace mutual aid, and work collectively for peace, health, and equity for all,” he advocated.

On the 75th anniversary of the WHO, Becerra considered that the Organization “represents our shared values ​​and remains vitally important in the global fight for health and well-being.” In addition, he remarked that “President Biden and the United States are fully committed to the WHO.”

The Secretary of Health and Human Services of the United States maintained that the world faces “common health problems that require shared solutions.” Among them he mentioned maternal mortality, cancer, infectious diseases, behavioral health, substance use disorders, especially synthetic drugs, and climate change. “The next pandemic is never far away,” he warned.

“We have joined forces in the past to achieve bold goals and counter threats, and we have been successful. We can do it again,” she assured.

Cuba: humanity needs resilient health systems more than ever

Minister of Public Health of Cuba, José Ángel Portal Miranda, affirmed that the world should look at the new anniversary of the WHO “as an opportune moment to analyze challenges and perspectives in order to continue improving the health of all.”

“What has been experienced in recent years shows that humanity needs more than ever resilient health systems that guarantee everyone’s right to health and compliance with the Sustainable Development Goal” (SDG) related to health, he said.

Portal Miranda considered it important to carry out a “special monitoring” of the effects of climate change “to address and minimize the risks of social determinants that may influence the emergence of new health emergencies.”

“Public health in Cuba is a right of all people and it is a responsibility of the State to guarantee access, free and quality care, protection and recovery services, with a resounding concept of solidarity and universal coverage,” he said. the Cuban Minister of Health. “On these bases – he said – we found the strengths to successfully face COVID 19.”

Portal Miranda explained that the health management of the pandemic in Cuba “relied on access to innovative medicines, the result of the development of the Cuban biopharmaceutical industry” and added that, of five vaccine candidates, three became vaccines. The country carried out “an unprecedented national vaccination campaign that allowed immunization of more than 98% of the vaccinable population over 2 years of age,” he stressed.

“Strengthening and perfecting our health systems are challenges that we are obliged to work on to achieve real access for people to health services,” he asserted.

Dominican Republic: it is time to design new initiatives to face future pandemics and emergencies

The Vice Minister of Collective Health of the Dominican Republic, Dr. Eladio Pérez, considered that the end of the COVID-19 emergency has meant “a milestone in global health”, but stressed that “the pandemic is not over yet and it is time to design new initiatives to face other pandemics and future health emergencies”.

Dr. Pérez indicated that his country “is completely committed to adopting a strategic and institutional vision to ensure that policies respond to the needs of our population,” and that, along this path, they have developed the Health Route strategy, which has with a comprehensive approach to promote healthy lifestyles.

Among the achievements in health achieved by the Dominican Republic, the Vice Minister of Collective Health highlighted: “we have achieved that 98% of the population has social security, free access to innovative treatments against COVID-19, a 100% increase in the amount coverage of catastrophic illnesses, an increase of 189% in the number of high-cost patients and an increase in the budget of more than 150% in this program”.

Dr. Pérez also pointed out that they have strengthened epidemiological surveillance for the “efficient control of epidemics such as cholera and monkeypox, with the support of PAHO.” In addition, he indicated that they have allocated a special budget for a new school health program and are developing a mental health initiative that offers free telephone assistance.

The Vice Minister stressed his country’s commitment “to continue working with the support of PAHO and other actors to advance the goal of health for all.”

Colombia: ensuring the right to health with more equity

The Vice Minister of Public Health and Provision of Services of Colombia, Jaime Urrego, highlighted the importance of guaranteeing affordable health services. “Health care systems, because they deal with the fundamental right to care for life, must be universal, public and free, so that access does not depend on people’s ability to pay.”

Urrego also pointed out the need to support countries to face the challenge of climate change. “Climate change cannot be seen as a specific issue, what we are witnessing is a true emergency. The WHO and public health must move to the center of discussions and urgent actions to advance adaptation and mitigation framed in climate justice.”

The Vice Minister also called for equity in health technologies to face new pandemics or emergencies. “Let us understand that intellectual property rights and the logic of the pharmaceutical industries cannot be above the right to health. The true preparation in the face of new health emergencies involves adjusting the rules of the game, so that the interests of a few are not served. It cannot happen again that a pandemic ends and the concentration of resources in some territories implies the denial of access to millions of people, ”he considered.

Mexico: working together to improve emergency preparedness

Ambassador Francisca Elizabeth Mendez Escobar, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations in Geneva said: “together, we have contributed to achieving progress in life expectancy, the reduction of infant mortality and the eradication of smallpox. Together we have also worked to control neglected tropical diseases, limit tobacco use, and overcome the H1N1 and COVID-19 pandemics, among many other things. These advances are an example that solidarity and international cooperation are essential components to face the health challenges of our time.”

The Mexican Ambassador stressed that, despite the achievements in these 75 years of the WHO, there is still much to do. “This anniversary coincides with a period of change and reflection. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the fragility of our health systems, but also the limits of international coordination and of our multilateral institutions, including the WHO. The lessons learned open up an opportunity to reshape global health policy and strengthen this organization,” she said.

For this, he said, “it is necessary for the Member States to assume new commitments to global public health and multilateralism, commitments that in our opinion should follow a social approach to promote global public goods, overcome all kinds of exclusion, promote harmony with the environment, and strengthen the bases in favor of access and solidarity.”

Paraguay: addressing current inequalities and emergencies

Ambassador Marcelo Scappini Ricciardi, Permanent Representative of Paraguay to the United Nations in Geneva, highlighted the priority of health reforms in his country. “The reform of the national health system is our priority, the guide for the implementation of healthy environments and the general human resources policy are tools to improve the health conditions of various population groups and territorial spaces,” he said.

Scappini Ricciardi also recalled the current health threats in Paraguay, such as the Chikungunya epidemic that the country is facing. “We talk about the future thinking about the future pandemic and we forget that many of the emergencies that put health systems at risk continue to give us no respite. In my country, historically endemic for dengue, we find ourselves going through a complex epidemiological scenario. We registered the worst Chikungunya epidemic in our history, one of the largest in South America, ”he stressed.

The Paraguayan ambassador stressed the need to promote equity to face health emergencies. “Let’s not wait for a new pandemic to work with a spirit of solidarity, to face those health emergencies that destroy health systems. Confidence in multilateralism will be restored with concrete actions that allow strengthening the preparation and response to threats and public health emergencies, ”he said.

“Paraguay will continue to participate in the negotiations of the future instrument on pandemics and the strengthening of the IHR, both must reflect the special needs of countries with different levels of development and ensure the circulation and equitable, effective and timely access to countermeasures, pr medical products, goods, services and technologies”, he considered.

Costa Rica: science, cooperation to face health challenges

Shara Duncan Villalobos, Costa Rica’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, stressed the role of science and cooperation to face health challenges.

“My country agrees that only through science, research and cooperation at all levels will we be able to face the threats to human health that arise in the context of health, such as new diseases or socioeconomic barriers, political or legal that impede access to quality health services,” he said.

Duncan Villalobos also highlighted the inequity in progress towards universal health in the world: “despite scientific progress, we still need to make progress in ensuring equitable access for all States and all people to therapeutic and health products, including medicines and vaccines.

“Costa Rica reiterates, he said, the importance of strengthening primary care, health surveillance, health infrastructure and the full enjoyment of well-being in society as key aspects to achieve the highest health standards in all its dimensions.”

The representative of Costa Rica also highlighted her country’s support for multilateralism. “We reiterate our unconditional support for the valuable work and guidance provided by WHO and our regional organization, PAHO, and we hope to continue contributing to the achievement of health for all, without exception.”

Nicaragua: Attention to sustainable development goals

The delegate from Nicaragua recalled the efforts, challenges, and health achievements of his country in recent decades, and also during the COVID-19 pandemic. He stressed the need for cooperation and also attention to the Sustainable Development Goals, mainly health.

“We emphasize that, as the preamble to the constitution of this organization states, the health of the peoples is a fundamental condition to achieve peace and security, and depends on the broadest cooperation of individuals and States,” he said, adding that “For this, it is vital to continue working together with common objectives and without measures that hinder progress or that politicize the heart of this international organization.”

Haiti: equitable access to medicines at fair prices to promote international health security

Justin Viard, Haiti’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, highlighted the health advances made since the creation of the WHO, along with the challenges ahead. “Universal health coverage has been the goal all these years, and different resolutions have tried to bring us closer to that goal. Without a doubt, significant progress has been made in improving health systems and in the fight against diseases and their determinants. Yet poverty and inequality persist. COVID-19 highlighted the structural challenges facing health systems around the world,” he said.

The Representative of Haiti also reflected on the lessons of COVID-19, calling for more equitable access to deal with future emergencies: “The pandemic surprised us and revealed the limits of our international health architecture. He also reminded us that we are members of the same human family. We all live on the same planet. We share the air, the land, the oceans […] We all recognize that no one is protected, no one is healthy unless we are all protected, unless we are all healthy.”

“Countries like Haiti need universal and equitable access to vaccines, medicines and products that are reasonably priced and that are safe and effective. These are vital conditions for international health security and to protect future generations. We are committed to strengthening primary health care as part of a global effort,” Viard said.

Barbados: focus on recovering losses and addressing current challenges such as non-communicable diseases

Dr. Jerome Walcott, Minister of Health and Welfare of Barbados, took stock of the health achievements and challenges facing his country in the aftermath of the pandemic: “As we look to the post-pandemic period, we recognize that we have regressed in some of the progress made towards achieving the SDGs.This is particularly true in the areas of immunization against preventable diseases and in the management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).In addition, challenges such as new and emerging infectious diseases, the Climate change and health, antimicrobial resistance and building resilient health systems must now be firmly addressed.”

The Barbados Minister of Health and Welfare also called for “a rethinking of WHO’s strategic direction in the context of universal health care, which promotes the empowerment of our citizens and communities to achieve better health outcomes.”

In addition, Dr. Walcott highlighted his plans to address current health challenges, and the upcoming high-level meeting to discuss health in the context of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). “Barbados, at this time, is especially interested in the health of our children, especially with regard to the prevention and control of childhood obesity and the early detection and treatment of people who are at risk of developing ENTs and live with them, as well as mental health problems”.

The official indicated that his country is pleased to host the next high-level meeting for SIDS on NCDs and mental health. “We look forward to a strong outcome document that improves the health of people in small island developing states.”

The Minister of Health and Welfare of Barbados also thanked PAHO for its support in improving emergency preparedness. “We are pleased to receive technical expertise and support in the development of our national health adaptation plan. We appreciate the support received from the Pan American Health Organization and the Caribbean Public Health Agency in our efforts for future pandemic preparedness through the access to the Fund for Pandemics.”

Bolivia: this is an opportunity to establish an equitable collaboration for new emergencies

The General Director of Health Networks of the Ministry of Health and Sports of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Dr. Vladimir Choquevillca, highlighted that his country achieved “control of COVID-19 through a strategy based on coordination between the various levels of government, carrying out free mass diagnoses, genomic surveillance, voluntary and free vaccination, and the execution of an epidemiological surveillance and control plan throughout the territory”.

According to Dr. Choquevillca, this strategy allowed Bolivia to reduce the fatality rate from COVID-19.

The Director General of Health Networks of Bolivia considered that the world is now facing “an opportunity that should allow us to establish an effective equal collaboration, but fundamentally equitable in new health emergencies.”

Dr. Choquevillca stressed that “Bolivia recognizes and ratifies health as a human right” and “works hard on the implementation of the single, universal and free health system.” In addition, he reiterated the Bolivian government’s commitment “to the promotion and protection of public health, and equity”

Uruguay: humanity needs to avoid the health dysfunctions we have experienced during COVID-19

The Ambassador of Uruguay to the United Nations in Geneva, Álvaro Moerzinger, considered that “the anniversary of the WHO is a good opportunity to evaluate and appreciate its achievements in seeking to improve the quality of life of the world population and to review the strategies that do not have worked or have had limited impact.”

“As demonstrated by the COVID pandemic, perhaps the most urgent task is to protect ourselves against the appearance of similar challenges,” said the Uruguayan Ambassador. “We are convinced that humanity needs to avoid the health dysfunctions that we have experienced during COVID-19”, he affirmed and underlined the “advisability of having a WHO with the capacity to design action protocols that unify prevention and action responses that prevent unnecessary loss of human life”.

For Moerzinger, the negotiations that are taking place for the adaptation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) or towards the approval of an instrument on pandemics “are a sign that even in difficult times, the international community still understands that through the cooperation can solve problems that concern us all”.

“To move forward – he pointed out – we must consider issues as diverse as the early detection of diseases and emergencies, equitable access to medicines and vaccines for all, a climate crisis that produces displaced people and increases the risks of new diseases, and forgotten diseases and pandemics silent as that of non-communicable diseases”.

The Ambassador of Uruguay remarked that his country “continues to make progress in providing health responses as efficiently as possible to its entire population,” and recognized the “appreciated and valuable” contributions of PAHO and WHO in this regard.

Panama: the end of the COVID-19 emergency is testimony to how we have overcome this challenge together

After acknowledging the contributions of the WHO to public health in the last 75 years, the Vice Minister of Health of Panama, Ivette Berrío, pointed out that “today we face new challenges that require our unwavering dedication and collective action to face emerging infections, the burden of non-communicable diseases, the impact of climate change on health and the need for equitable access to health care.

For Vice Minister Berrío, the recent WHO declaration establishing that COVID-19 no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern “is testimony to how we have overcome this challenge together.”

“International cooperation – he maintained – through multilateralism played a crucial role for this achievement and we can continue to keep optimism and hope placed in science and health workers.”

Berrío underscored “Panama’s commitment to continue joining forces to promote a resilient health system and thus achieve a more prosperous world for all.”

Trinidad and Tobago: together to face the global storm of noncommunicable diseases

The Minister of Health of Trinidad and Tobago, Terrence Deyalsingh, congratulated the WHO on its 75th anniversary and reflected on the increasing incidence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), reminding delegates that they “kill an estimated 41 million people each year, accounting for approximately 74% of deaths globally.

“We are in the NCD storm together,” the Minister said, noting how, for example, the tobacco industry uses aggressive marketing strategies and “vast budgets to target adolescents and vulnerable adults to smoke, after decades of research clearly revealed the correlation between smoking and premature morbidity.”

In addition to tobacco, he highlighted the problem of increasing consumption of junk food throughout the world, especially among young people. “There is now also evidence detailing how multinational companies are using using similar aggressive marketing strategies to encourage increased consumption of fast food among adolescents and children.

Minister Deyalsingh called for urgent action against these forces. “We must be aware that global food companies have an influential impact on public health, and the enormous resources they direct towards marketing and branding unhealthy foods and beverages, which has led to the exacerbation of NCDs among children, have now generated scrutiny of how food is marketed to this demographic.”

The delegate from Trinidad and Tobago ended with a call for concerted action: “I would suggest that these ‘mega brands’ re-examine the way they market to children and families so that the parallel crisis of lung cancer, as well as how the increasing risk of obesity – even among children – can be avoided, allowing us to prevent an explosive increase in the risk of NCDs and cancer.”

Jamaica: prioritizing universal health coverage is essential to meet the challenges

Jamaican Minister of Health and Welfare Christopher Tufton congratulated WHO on “75 years of growth and outstanding leadership in public health.”

He recalled the challenges the world is currently facing: “the growing crisis of non-communicable diseases, including mental health problems, the worrying downward trend in vaccination, inadequate financing of health care, the need for Digital Health Systems for Resilience and the Imperative of Pandemic Preparedness and Response”.

Minister Tufton said that “taken together, these and other public health challenges make prioritizing universal health coverage essential, even in developing countries whose populations face particular vulnerabilities.”

Jamaica’s Minister of Health and Welfare said that his country’s actions to strengthen health include primary health care reform, digitization of health systems and improvement of physical infrastructure, as well as care for human Resources.

He also noted that Jamaica is “committed to working with the working groups on the amendments to the IHR and in the negotiations on a new pandemic instrument”, and in this regard requested the intervention of the Director General of the WHO “on behalf of the Small Island Developing States to ensure that there is adequate time to make contributions given our limited resources.

“As we deliberate in the coming days, I am confident that we do so with an eye toward identifying synergies and forging partnerships that can stand the test of time and public health emergencies as we save lives and make health for all a reality,” concluded.

Bahamas: wake-up call on the challenges facing small island developing States, especially climate change

Dr. Michael Ronald Darville, Minister of Health and Welfare of the Bahamas, drew attention to the challenges facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

“As an archipelagic nation, The Bahamas has to spread health infrastructure across a vast network of islands to serve dispersed population centers. Our very geography has posed a threat to health equity,” he said.

“Despite this difficult reality, we are doing everything we can to ensure that our citizens have access to proper health care, as they truly deserve,” said Minister Darville. This includes improvements to more than 50 clinics and plans to build two state-of-the-art hospitals, as well as legislative changes “to improve the delivery of health services to our complex ecosystem.”

He also highlighted the Bahamas’ progress in addressing mental health: “We have put in place new mental health legislation that is finally modernizing pediatric and adult mental health care services across the country.”

The Bahamas Minister of Health and Welfare drew attention to the effects of climate change in his country, which is particularly vulnerable to weather events. “We are constantly bombarded by hurricanes and tropical storms,” ​​he said, adding that “these natural catastrophes play an important role in our country’s health infrastructure and rob us of the ability to fully channel scarce resources toward social reform and health services.” .

“The mental, social and economic scars left behind by the devastating effects of climate change reinforce my country’s commitment to the WHO global agenda to promote economic recovery and the revitalization of health service delivery through coverage of universal health,” he added.

Dr. Darville noted that while the Bahamas strives to improve and modernize healthcare delivery systems, the country remains vulnerable to destruction from climate change. “Reducing the global carbon footprint is therefore vital for sustainable healthcare models for SIDS like the Bahamas.”

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: commitment to noncommunicable diseases, mental health care and retention of health personnel

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Minister of Health, Welfare and the Environment, St. Clair Prince, recognized “the enormous life-saving work that WHO has done for three-quarters of a century.” And he added: “the extensive and dedicated support given to all of us over the last four years has demonstrated the value and relevance of this great institution.”

The Minister affirmed that his country firmly believes that the role of the WHO in the next 25 years should be to save lives by promoting health for all. To fulfill this mandate, he said, “we must work together.”

He added that countries should “continue to make efforts to improve health emergency management capacities, to strengthen national, regional and international health security mechanisms,” based on evidence collected over the past four years.

He further highlighted the important role of communication: “Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is aware of the critical importance of risk communication, coupled with community engagement, in sustaining our many achievements in public health, including our coverage of vaccination of children above 90%,” adding that his country hopes for continued support to “continue to develop its risk communication capabilities to strengthen us in our battle against the epidemic of non-communicable diseases.”

The Minister of Health, Welfare and the Environment of St. Vincent and the Grenadines considered the impact of mental health and said that his country is currently doing an extensive review and is working with PAHO/WHO “on the development of an integrated system of mental and psychosocial health better adapted to our peculiar Vincentian context.”

Prince concluded by calling attention to the challenge of creating and retaining a health workforce, stating that his country’s achievements on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were threatened “by the alarming loss of our most experienced health workers , who are leaving for stronger economies with which we cannot compete.”

“When 10% of your RNs leave in a year, wards cannot be staffed, basic services cannot be provided and our people suffer,” he said, calling on the WHO to “increase your advocacy of the protection of the most valuable resource of our health systems”.

Saint Lucia: Our duty is to fill the health gaps and ensure that no one is left behind

The Minister of Health, Welfare and Senior Affairs of Saint Lucia, Moses Jn. Baptiste, highlighted the need to strengthen health systems after the COVID-19 emergency.

“Today, as we recover from the devastation caused by COVID-19, the importance of universal health coverage has never been more evident. The global health crisis tested the resilience of countries and health care systems. It took too many lives,” he said.

“As we continue to recover from these challenges, it is critical that we remain steadfast in our commitment to achieving health for all,” said the Minister. “This pandemic has exposed the shortcomings of our health systems and revealed severe inequities. It is our duty to close these gaps and ensure that no one is left behind.”

Baptiste stressed that Saint Lucia is committed to that goal, however the country cannot do it alone. “None of us can do it alone. We must forge alliances and draw on the collective wisdom and resources of the international community,” she said.

“Together we can save lives and advance health for all. Let us be unwavering in our commitment, bold in our actions and compassionate in our determination,” he said.

Saint Lucia’s Minister of Health, Well-being and Senior Affairs concluded by calling for an inclusive debate: “in this imperative of health for all, there are no countries small or big, we are all in this together.”

Venezuela: a nation willing to contribute to the construction of a new health reality

The Minister of Health of Venezuela, Magaly Gutiérrez, stressed that her country is “engaged in strengthening a solid and robust health system.”

“Our government has not strayed from objectives and plans such as the Millennium Challenges and now with the 2030 Agenda, as a member country we have assumed it, executing necessary actions with creativity, effort, and resilient combat,” he stated.

The Venezuelan minister pointed out that “it is a lot” that her country has achieved and surpassed in these goals “and in the pending ones we will also achieve it, because we are a country that faithfully complies with the agreements.”

“You have in Venezuela a respectful nation willing to contribute to the construction of a new reality in health,” Gutiérrez stressed when addressing the World Health Assembly.

Belize: technical cooperation to face present and future challenges

“Our region faces unique challenges, compounded by poverty, inequality and limited resources. However, we are committed to the theme of this year’s Assembly: ‘saving lives, promoting health for all,'” declared the Belize Minister of Health and Wellness, Kevin Bernard.

“Challenges such as human resources for health, the increase in non-communicable diseases, difficulties in obtaining vital medicines and vaccines, together with the many detrimental effects of global warming, continue to plague our region,” he added.

Minister Bernard said that COVID-19 highlighted the importance of investing in health and highlighted his country’s achievements in fighting the pandemic. “We are proud to have one of the highest vaccination rates in the region, with more than 55% of our entire population vaccinated.”

He also said that Belize “has made great strides in the last year as we move toward certification as malaria-free and toward achieving elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis.”

Regarding climate change, the Belize Minister of Health and Wellness indicated that his country “is still feeling the effects of Hurricane Lisa, which occurred in November 2022.” He said that the construction of resilient and intelligent facilities (SMART) for a sustainable health system continues to be a priority, and recognized the “importance of technical cooperation to improve health outcomes”, stressing that the country is committed to continue working with partners, such as PAHO.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: inclusion, key to better preparation

Dr. Sharon Archibald, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health of Saint Kitts and Nevis, said that the WHO “is an important part of the global architecture that supports small island developing States” like her country.

“We are grateful for the work done by WHO, PAHO and our own regional organization CARPHA, which played a vital role in helping us navigate the choppy waters of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added.

“Many lessons were learned when the COVID-19 pandemic became the great equalizer, exposing the vulnerability of health systems globally,” said the Minister, adding that it also “served as a catalyst for inclusion and highlighted highlight the need for a united response”.

Lessons learned and reinforced include the importance of partnerships at all levels to achieve our development goals, especially in healthcare.

“We have been fortunate to have the bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral ties that we have forged throughout our four decades of independence,” he said. “We are convinced that the global response needed to address global health challenges such as COVID-19 must be inclusive.”

Saint Kitts and Nevis has committed to building a resilient SMART hospital, capable of withstanding natural disasters.

“The frequency and intensity of hurricanes and other natural disasters demand that we build our resilience to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change. We support the Caribbean Action Plan on Health and Climate Change to protect our population,” he said.

Antigua and Barbuda: urgent action to eliminate cervical cancer

Dr Teriann Joseph, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Health, Welfare, Social Transformation and Environment, congratulated WHO on the “excellent work it has done over the past 75 years in promoting health.”

He expressed Antigua and Barbuda’s concern about the high incidence of cervical cancer, the “second most common cancer in women and the third leading cause of cancer death in women in the country.”

“We are aware that cervical cancer is preventable and curable, if detected early and treated appropriately,” added Dr. Joseph. “The implementation of the WHO Global Strategy for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a public health problem raises the hope that by 2030 cervical cancer and its direct and indirect impact on women, their families and their countries will be a matter of past.”

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Health highlighted the country’s efforts to address cervical cancer, including the launch of a national human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program in 2018 and a pilot program of cervical HPV testing at five clinics in September 2022, which, according to the delegate, resulted in a “100% increase in the number of women screened annually in primary health care.”

The Caribbean official added that, to ensure sustainability, Antigua and Barbuda was the first country in the subregion to purchase HPV tests through the PAHO Strategic Fund. “With this and our additional efforts in HPV vaccination, we are confident that Antigua and Barbuda will be the first country in the Caribbean to achieve the global targets.”

Dr. Joseph concluded by urging countries to “commit or have a renewed commitment to eliminate cervical cancer as a global public health threat by 2030.”

Dominica: Renewed Commitment to Face Long-standing Health Challenges

“In Dominica, we fought the enemy COVID-19 with everything we had, our vulnerabilities were compounded since COVID-19 arrived just two years after Hurricane Maria destroyed our island, setting us back a lot,” said the Minister of Health , Dominica Welfare and Social Services, Cassanni Laville.

In solidarity with those affected by COVID-19, Minister Laville noted that the government has committed to “readjusting our health system with a greater focus on primary and integrated care to better address emerging realities.”

However, he stated that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) continue to take center stage, claiming 41 million lives a year. “We must execute swift and united responses. NCDs pose a direct threat to socio-economic development; too many people retire at age 30 not as millionaires but as plague victims,” ​​he said.

Dominica’s Minister of Health, Welfare and Social Services called on countries to “bear the weight of responsibility placed on them by the people we serve and move faster, so that no country is left behind.” as well as “to stand their ground and squeeze the juices of innovation and efficiency to resolve conflicting priorities.”

Laville congratulated the WHO for its leadership during the pandemic, calling for “a renewed approach to the longstanding threat posed by NCDs, but with greater emphasis, greater urgency and visibility, and a united voice.”