Analyzing what's next for primary health care in Latin America and the Caribbean to build resilient health systems for future public health emergencies
Read the comment published in The Lancet Regional Health Americas announcing the Commission.
Launch of the Comission
The World Bank, the Pan American Health Organization and Lancet Americas (the regional office of The Lancet) presented the group of 18 experts that will form the Lancet Americas Commission in charge of producing new knowledge and practical recommendations to strengthen Primary Health Care and Resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Primary Health Care (PHC) is an efficient and equitable way of managing public health and individual care in health systems. It guarantees timely, comprehensive, and close services that materialize the universal right to health, well-being, and quality of life of the population, regardless of the socioeconomic situation of individuals.
"This is a transcendental initiative that seeks to advance the critical knowledge necessary to inform fundamental decisions in the future development of Primary Health Care and the resilience of the health system in our region," said the director of the Pan American Health Organization, Jarbas Barbosa, during the launch of the Commission.
Also, the former President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, highlighted the initiative "which addresses issues of such political, economic and social relevance. They have brought together great experts with different perspectives and different experiences". She added that "when people have access to quality health services, they are more likely to have a productive life, contribute to the economy and participate actively in society".
