Minister of Health and Human Services for the Turks and Caicos Islands Hon. Shaun Malcolm is representing the United Kingdom and the Overseas Territory Countries (OTCs) at the 60th PAHO Directing Council, held between September 25 to 29 in Washington DC.
The meeting brought together high-level dignitaries and health authorities from the countries in the Americas to deliberate on policies to strengthen health.
The PAHO Directing Council is probably the biggest overseas assignment for the health minister since assuming office earlier this year, owing to the fact that not only is he representing the TCI, but the UK and all its overseas territories.
During the week, delegates discussed a variety of strategies, resolutions and policies aimed at strengthening the region’s health workforce; preventing and controlling non-communicable diseases in children, adolescents, and youth; and improving mental health and suicide prevention in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other topics.
The Directing Council is one of PAHO’s governing bodies that brings together the highest health authorities of the Americas to discuss and analyze policies and set priorities for technical cooperation and collaboration among countries.
Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director, reflected on post-pandemic recovery in the Americas, and committed to strengthened action at the country level to address regional health priorities.
While “my early days in office have been marked by the urgency to recover from the pandemic, and deploy the lessons learned to make PAHO and our region’s health systems stronger,” the lasting impact of COVID-19 is “just one of many health priorities we must address,” Dr. Barbosa said.
The risk of vaccine-preventable diseases remains high, and maternal, neonatal and child health outcomes must also be improved, the Director said. The rising burden of non-communicable diseases, including mental health conditions, and the effects of climate change also pose a serious threat to health and wellbeing in the Americas.
Yet despite these ongoing challenges, “Latin America and the Caribbean are too often deprioritized by global organizations and in global conversations,” Dr. Barbosa said, highlighting his commitment to advocate for the Region and strengthen its in-country presence, “where the core of our work happens and where the most pressing needs are,” he said.
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