Brasilia, November 8, 2024 – In a joint effort to tackle health challenges in the Amazon, the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) met today at ACTO’s headquarters in Brasília. The meeting, which included a working breakfast with ambassadors from ACTO member countries, marked a new step forward in the development of the Subregional Health Cooperation Strategy for South America, following discussions that began on November 6.
The event started with a working breakfast during which ACTO and PAHO representatives and ambassadors discussed the main health needs in the Amazon, addressing the specific challenges faced by communities in this region. This space allowed for a dialogue on issues such as access to health services in border areas.
During the meeting, Vanessa Grazziotin, Executive Director of ACTO, welcomed the ambassadors and expressed gratitude for PAHO’s support in this effort. Socorro Gross, PAHO representative in Brazil, highlighted the need to strengthen cooperation to bolster health services in cross-border areas, emphasizing the close ties between Amazonian communities. Additionally, Piedad Huerta, Head of PAHO’s Country and Subregional Coordination Office, underscored the organization’s commitment to this subregional strategy, stating that “the unique situation of the Amazon requires specialized technical cooperation that can effectively address the realities of the region and improve access to quality health services.”
The topics discussed included primary care in border areas, the management of communicable diseases such as malaria, and disaster and emergency preparedness—critical aspects given the Amazon’s unique challenges. This joint effort also aims to strengthen subregional integration in line with the health commitments of the 2030 Agenda and the Belém Declaration, which guide the Amazonian countries’ policies towards sustainable and equitable development.
Towards a Subregional Health Strategy by April 2025
This event is part of a series of strategic meetings that PAHO has conducted in South America to establish a common health agenda for the region. According to Huerta, “achieving an integrated strategy for all of South America will allow us to combine efforts and resources to benefit the most vulnerable populations,” especially in the Amazon.
The meeting concluded with the definition of a roadmap to formalize the Subregional Cooperation Strategy, with an initial draft to be reviewed in subsequent consultations. This process will include further consultations with other subregional integration mechanisms to consolidate a document that promotes a coordinated and effective health response for South America and, particularly, for the Amazon region.
The strategy is scheduled to be signed in April 2025 and will represent a significant advance in public health integration in the Amazon region, strengthening ACTO and PAHO’s commitment to sustainable development and health equity in South America.
