Washington, DC, January 7, 2026 (PAHO) – The Pan American Journal of Public Health, the scientific publication of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), recently published a special issue dedicated to strengthening primary health care to address noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in the Americas.
Background. Childhood cancer survival exceeds 80% in high-income countries but remains below 50% across much of Latin America. In Ecuador, limited access to diagnosis and essential medicines, and fragmented governance have hindered progress. In 2025, Ecuador became the first country in the Region of the Americas to implement the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, an initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and St.
Objective. To assess mortality and disability due to injuries in the Americas, with a focus on subregional and gender disparities, and changes over time.
Objective. To describe the epidemiological and health care situation of advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Latin America; identify strengths and gaps in early detection, referral, and access to and coverage of renal replacement therapies (RRTs); contextualize these findings in light of the recent WHO Resolution WHA78.6 on kidney health and propose recommendations.
Objective: To estimate the economic impact of standard pharmacological treatment for hypertension on a typical household in Argentina using a new indicator relating treatment costs to household income.
Objective: To describe how Grenada leveraged the HEARTS in the Americas standardized clinical pathway to strengthen procurement of a single-pill fixed-dose antihypertensive and align prescribing and procurement across public and private sectors.
Objective: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for approximately 80% of annual mortality in Saint Lucia, with the results of national World Health Organization (WHO) STEPwise approach to NCD risk factor surveillance surveys in 2012 and 2020 indicating increasing prevalences of hypertension, obesity and physical inactivity. In response, the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition launched the St. Lucia Moves Initiative in 2022, aligned with the Caribbean Moves framework and WHO's Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2013-2030.
Corrigendum to Síntesis de evidencia y recomendaciones: guía de práctica clínica para el manejo de la retinopatía de la prematuridad. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2021;45:e138. https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2021.138. The abstract (pg. 1) and translated abstracts (pgs. 9) presented an error in the first line of the results: “… 32 semanas…1500 g de peso”. The correct figures are “…36 semanas …2000 g de peso."
13 JULY 2026, WASHINGTON, D.C.— Diphtheria is increasing in the Region of the Americas. Between epidemiological week (EW) 1 and EW 21 of 2026, 163 confirmed cases, including five deaths, were reported across three countries: Brazil (n = 2 cases), Haiti (n = 159 cases, including five deaths), and Peru (n = 2 cases). The concentration of cases in Haiti, together with new cases in other countries of the Region, has resulted in a total that already exceeds the annual average of 61 confirmed cases reported across the Americas during 2020–2024.
8 JULY 2026, WASHINGTON, D.C.— El Niño conditions forecast for 2026–2027 signal overlapping public health and humanitarian risks across the Americas. Exceptionally warm global ocean and atmospheric temperatures may amplify or modify expected climatic anomalies, including droughts and floods, and their associated public health impacts.
