WASHINGTON – A new report by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has underscored the need to prioritise primary health care to advance toward universal health in the Americas, including the Caribbean. The report highlights both the progress made and the persistent challenges faced by countries in the region in their efforts to ensure access to health services without imposing an unsustainable financial burden on individuals.

“Progress in universal health in the Americas: addressing unmet healthcare needs, gaps in coverage, and lack of financial protection through primary health care,” was presented on the occasion of Universal Health Day (known globally as Universal Health Coverage Day), celebrated each year on December 12. PAHO said this day highlights “the urgent need to overcome the barriers that limit access to health services for millions of people.” PAHO’s Director, Dr Jarbas Barbosa, emphasised that “the report reflects PAHO’s commitment to advancing towards universal health in a region that has made great progress, but also faces persistent challenges that require innovative solutions, particularly regarding primary health care.”

In this context, he stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep vulnerabilities in health systems, such as fragmentation, access barriers and inequalities that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. The report emphasises that unmet health care needs affect more than one-third of the surveyed population in the Americas, primarily impacting the poorest communities. It added that while higher-income countries report fewer unmet needs, in lower-middle-income countries, these needs exceed 40 percent, contributing to higher rates of preventable mortality. (Jamaica-Gleaner)

Photo: PAHO Director, Dr Jarbas Barbosa. (CMC photo)