Connecting for Health

January 12, 2024

Connecting for Health

Monthly Newsletter | No. 28 | January 2024

PAHO in 2024

In 2024, countries of the Americas will participate in the most strategic forum for global health, the World Health Assembly, which will convene in May to address the most pressing heath issues, including a new pandemic treaty. Check out fhe PAHO 2024 calendar for other key days for health.

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At COP28, PAHO calls for regional solidarity to address health impacts of climate change

At Health and Climate Change in the Americas: How to protect people’s health in the climate crisis, PAHO Assistant Director, Dr. Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, urges countries to ensure health impacts of climate change are taken on board as they rebuild health systems post COVID-19

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PAHO, IDB and World Bank launch alliance to strengthen primary health care in the Americas

This new collaboration, launched by PAHO Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, in Montevideo Uruguay, aims to boost investment, innovation and implementation of policies and initiatives aimed at transforming health systems in the region with a focus on primary health care.

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Universal Health Coverage Day: PAHO Director highlights country efforts to recover public health gains lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic

On Universal Health Day, Dr. Barbosa praised countries of the Americas for efforts to increase investment in pandemic preparedness and response capacity, expand access to health services based on strengthened primary health care, and for harnessing the power of innovation in digital transformation.

Despite notable progress, road safety remains urgent global issue

The latest WHO global status report on road safety 2023 shows that while the annual number of road traffic deaths fell slightly to 1.19 million per year, road traffic crashes remain the leading killer of children and youth aged 5-29 years.

Urgent action needed to protect children and prevent uptake of e-cigarettes

The WHO Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has called for urgent action to control e-cigarettes to protect children, as well as non-smokers. E-cigarettes are not shown to be effective for quitting tobacco use at the population level. Instead, alarming evidence has emerged on adverse population health effects.

Tackling dengue on house at a time in Asunción

In 2023, the Americas saw the highest number of dengue cases in its history, with climate change being a potential contributor. Actions to reduce the population of mosquitoes that transmit the disease are essential.

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Community collaborators on the frontlines of malaria elimination in Panama

Community collaborators are a crucial part of Panama’s malaria elimination strategy. They facilitate the expansion of surveillance and ensure cases are treated quickly before they can spread.