In 2022, the Pan American Health Organization celebrated its 120th anniversary. The countries of the Americas recognized early on the need to "organize a united front against the spread of epidemics and infectious diseases" and in 1902 they created the Pan American Sanitary Bureau–later renamed the Pan American Health Organization–which also became the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization.
The present narrative review discusses the relevance and challenges of community participation in health for health system strengthening. Based on a definition of community participation in health as a dynamic process that gives people access and control over health resources through involvement and experience, the article summarizes information obtained from documents and debate at an international event (Seminario Internacional: Experiencias y Modelos de Participación en Salud en América Latina y el Caribe).
This article offers opinion and analysis outlining strategic lines of action to build resilient health systems while promoting recovery in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period, with a view to maintaining and protecting public health gains. It contextualizes the challenges and opportunities in the Region of the Americas and offers recommendations for implementation of the strategic lines.
Poliovirus infection causes paralysis in up to 1 in 200 infected persons. The use of safe and effective inactivated poliovirus vaccines and live attenuated oral poliovirus vaccines (OPVs) means that only two pockets of wildtype poliovirus type 1 remain, in Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, OPVs can revert to virulence, causing outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV). During 2020–2022, cVDPV type 2 (cVDPV2) was responsible for 97–99% of poliomyelitis cases, mainly in Africa.
In the English-speaking Caribbean, an estimated 46% of men and 61% of women are currently overweight or obese, and 8% of children younger than 5 years are also overweight. To combat this worsening epidemic, driven by unhealthy dietary patterns, the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) issued the 2007 Port-of-Spain Declaration, which included mandates on the provision of healthy school meals, promotion of healthy dietary patterns, and reintroduction of physical education in schools.
To identify the 2022 recommendations made by ministries of health in the 13 countries and areas of South America for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer screening.
To determine the sociodemographic risk factors associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality in Suriname.
Analyze, from the perspective of international health, data on migration and health contained in El Salvador’s information systems and regulatory documentation.
