On December 6, 2023, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez hosted the Economic Health Dialogue of the Americas (EHA) Strategic Summit alongside Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Minister of Health for Uruguay, Karina Rando, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) with country representatives from 18 countries.
Presentations were made from EHA co-lead countries of Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, and the United States on the advancement of our work in four key workstreams – smart spending for health and health resource analysis; prioritization of health sector transformation; social protection in emergencies; and foundations for strengthening supply chains. The meeting served as an opportunity for countries to learn more about the progress of the EHA and begin strategic planning for the next EHA Ministerial Meeting in March 2024.
The EHA comprises a series of official sector-only meetings aimed at fostering the political will and commitments necessary to strengthen public health systems and protect economies in the region. Launched by Secretary Blinken at the Ninth Summit of the Americas in June 2022, the EHA actively supports countries in the region in coordinating efforts for health system resilience, as well as in identifying and leveraging best practices in the public sector, with a focus on the intersections of health and the economy. This initiative receives joint support from the U.S. Department of State, PAHO, the IDB, and the Organization of American States.
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