Think about him Time after the pandemic includes the It concerns all aspects of life, especially health. In this sense and with a fundamental change in your priorities, from that Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) details the Importance of renewing primary health care.
In this sense, The director of PAHO, Jarbas Barbosa, pointed out that it is extremely important to highlight this type of care as it is “the best and only option to achieve universal health coverage”.. In this way, experts met to discuss ways to strengthen investments by accelerating progress toward universal health.
The Importance of Primary Health Care (PHC)
“The concept of Reorientation of health systems towards primary health care or APS, is not only politically and technically feasible, but has become an imperative following the profound global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic“, explained Dr. Barbosa at the opening of the event, where he joined Chilean President Garbiel Boric and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, spoke.
“The pandemic “It was a slap in the face to all of us,” President Boric added revealed the deep inequalities between the North and the South, even within each country. Therefore, it is crucial, he said that recovery focuses on primary health care as a key element of well-being and disease prevention.
The WHO Director-General welcomed and emphasized the political declaration on universal health coverage adopted this week Primary health care “strengthens the resilience of health systems to prepare for, respond to and recover from shocks and crises.” “since it recognizes that” Health does not begin in hospitals or clinics, but at home, in schools, on the street and in the workplace“.
To ensure the development of health systems that are accessible to all and put people at the center, Dr. Barbosa calls on the countries to do so Go beyond limited packages of community-based mother-child services and expand services to address communicable diseases and particularly non-communicable diseases and mental health.
New health financing models will be key to achieving this goal, said the PAHO director, including Increasing private sector capacity and investing in strengthening the health workforce. Dr. Barbosa also advocated for it Decentralization of health services at the community level including Laboratory diagnostics, cancer diagnosis and treatment and HIV/AIDS care.
Include digital technologies
For the Director of PAHO, Digital technologies are a crucial element in breaking down geographical barriers make available Providing care in remote and underserved communities and provide patients with the necessary information Make informed decisions about your health.
Digital tools that facilitate contact tracing, vaccine distribution and remote patient monitoring also allow us to “adapt quickly in times of crisis,” he said.
“In America, we put political declarations into action at the national level,” added Dr. Barbosa added. “Chile is an excellent example for everyone as we have seen a rapid expansion of primary health care under the leadership of President Boric and Minister (Ximena) Aguilera and with the support of PAHO/WHO.”
“I call on all our Member States to take similar measures, invest, innovate and implement basic services,” he pleaded.
United Nations General Assembly
The 78th General Assembly of the United Nations which is taking place in New York this month three high-level meetings on health. This is a historic opportunity for world leaders to put health at the top of the political agenda and renew their commitment to it End tuberculosis, achieve universal health coverage, and strengthen pandemic preparedness and response.
As the leading regional health authority, PAHO participated in several events to address priority health issues in the Americas.
This included a roundtable organized by Devex and MSD for Mothers on sustainable approaches to improving maternal health and achieving universal health coverage through strategic collaborations with the private sector, in which the Director of PAHO highlighted the important role of the private sector in achieving universal health coverage.
Dr. Barbosa also participated in a regional vaccine production event organized by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the World Bank Group and GAVI, where he discussed the organization’s role in establishing sustainable vaccine production in the region. In a session on global health, equitable access and improved health outcomes, Dr. Barbosa also emphasized the importance of a primary health care approach.
