Regional Health Officials Agree On Need To Recover Gains Lost During COVID-19 Pandemic

The 60th Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization, which was convened in the United States capital from 25-28 September has concluded. During the meeting, ministers and high-level health authorities from the Americas, adopted 12 resolutions to strengthen health policies in the Americas and recover gains lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. While “we have emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot let our guard down,” PAHO Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa said. “We need to take this as an opportunity to accelerate action to recuperate lost public health gains and increase resiliency in our health systems.” Dr. Barbosa highlighted the importance of ensuring that countries engage in efforts to increase their preparedness and response to future pandemics and public health emergencies, urging PAHO Member States to “actively participate in the discussions regarding the revision of the International Health Regulations and the Intergovernmental Negotiation Body in WHO.” The 12 resolutions of the 60th Directing Council include: Strengthening human resources for health to achieve resilient health systems, which aims to strengthen the creation and training of interprofessional health teams, particularly in underserved areas of the Region. It also aims to promote decent working conditions for health personnel and to support countries in...