An agreement between the Pan American Health Organization, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe and the US Department of Health and Human Services aims to establish a more collaborative approach to strengthening systems and services health in all regions.

Washington D.C. April 14, 2023

An agreement signed today between the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS) aims to improve transatlantic collaboration to strengthen global health systems and achieve health equity in a post-pandemic setting.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that a health emergency affecting one corner of the world can quickly spread to other regions, crippling even the strongest health systems – exposing vulnerabilities including social inequalities and inequalities in health, and threatening global health security.

Together, PAHO, WHO/Europe, and HHS work in more than 85 countries in the Americas and the WHO European Region. The Collaborative Framework Agreement will allow them to better respond to future health challenges and priorities in the years to come.

The partnership will cement collaboration across a range of areas, including:

Strengthen the global health architecture to fit its purposes
Strengthen emergency preparedness, including pandemic preparedness
Improving vaccine manufacturing through public-private partnerships
Addressing misinformation and disinformation related to health and healthcare
Support healthcare staff through onboarding and training
Supporting Indigenous Health
Integrate the One Health principle into policy-making in countries and regions
Improving detection and response to antimicrobial resistance
Strengthening surveillance of pathogens of concern
Coordinating the health of refugees and migrants, including by strengthening border health systems

“Previous transatlantic partnerships in health focused primarily on supporting the developing world in areas such as vaccines and universal health coverage,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, director of PAHO, an organization which also serves as the WHO Regional Office for the Americas.

“But lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic have shown that without equity-based collaboration, the impact on health systems everywhere is enormous. This new arrangement will allow us to leverage our existing transatlantic ties and forge new networks to meet the health needs of people throughout the Americas and Europe, now and in the future.

“We face many common health challenges in the Americas and the European Region, from global warming to aging populations, from non-communicable diseases to new and re-emerging pathogens, from antibiotic resistance to universal health coverage” , said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, said the WHO Regional Director for Europe.

“We simply cannot meet these challenges alone, and that is why this transatlantic partnership is so important. We also share the Arctic region, home to Indigenous communities with unique health needs who will benefit from this partnership. With this new arrangement, we hope to energize our collaboration across the healthcare spectrum, for the benefit of all.

“The United States and HHS are grateful to partners like WHO/Europe and PAHO who are working tirelessly to provide vital supplies and services to communities around the world,” said Ms. Loyce Pace, Assistant Secretary of the Office of Global Affairs for the United States. Department of Health and Social Services.

“We know that the global challenges we face will not be solved by one country alone, but by the world coming together and fighting for what is right. We have the opportunity to chart a better, healthier and fairer path for all. That’s why HHS is proud to sign this transatlantic partnership alongside PAHO and WHO/Europe to promote global health.

ENDS

Full text of the collaboration framework agreement attached.
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