Iquique, Chile.
July 9-10, 2007.

The Ministers of Health of Ibero-America have concurred that health "constitutes one of the pillars" of social cohesion, and affirmed their support for equal access to this right on the first day of the IX Ibero-American Conference of Ministers of Health, held in Iquique, Chile.

Ministers and other health authorities of Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and Andorra have been meeting in Chile since Monday to discuss public health problems, in conjunction with the Ninth Ibero-American Conference of Ministers of Health.

According to Chile's Minister of Health, "Social Cohesion and Protection in Health" is the theme selected for the event, "because Ibero-American countries are experiencing landmark moments in their quest to build more cohesive, just, and socially-integrated societies that respect the dignity of the human person."

The Chilean Minister, María Soledad Barría, introduced the Conference's core theme in an address that led to two work sessions to prepare the Declaration of Iquique. In her inaugural address, the Chilean Minister called on the other Ministers present to turn the Conference "into a powerful exchange of ideas and experiences" that will contribute to "societies being constructed by all and for all."

The Director of the Pan American Health Organization, Mirta Roses Periago, presented the Organization's perspectives on social protection policies in health, focusing on five fundamental points:

The current favorable atmosphere and the opportunities it presents;
Social exclusion and denial of the right to health;
The need to build social protection systems in health;
The idea that health systems should be pillars of social protection; and
An agenda of change-the Health Agenda of the Americas.

Additionally, working sessions were organized to examine the different areas of social protection in health: public health; health insurance; and health services networks.

The Director of Social Affairs of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), Ángeles Yañez-Barnuevo of Spain, pointed out the need to address specific issues such as access to drinking water, because "pursuing relevant action in this area will have a very positive impact toward improving health indicators."

In her presentation, Minister Barría underscored the "shortfalls or gaps" existing in Ibero-America in this regard and asserted the need to "strengthen the social pact that ensures effective opportunities for those who do not have them."

The Conference is a precursor to the Fifteenth Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held in Santiago de Chile this coming November.

Declaration of Iquique

The main document of the Conference, attended by representatives of 19 Ibero-American countries, emphasizes that although significant progress in health has been made in the region during recent decades, unacceptable inequalities persist in terms of access to social and health services.

Consequently, the Declaration underscores the need to work toward correcting the major inequalities in health at present, and emphasizes the role of social protection as a weapon against exclusion as well as the importance of integrating social services networks. "This Conference forms part of a new path in the common road traveled by our nations, which share concerns and needs," affirmed Minister Barría, adding: "It is the reflection of what binds us historically and culturally."

The Chilean Minister also stated that "to speak of health today is to speak in global terms," meaning that many of the current challenges "know no borders and demand coordinated action."

Minister Barría added that the Conference is "of fundamental importance" to the Michelle Bachelet Administration, "whose hallmark is social protection and, thus, considers health to be an essential pillar for peoples' development."

Thematic Networks

In addition to the individual contributions of each of the countries in attendance to the general theme of the Conference, an analysis of the advances in thematic networks formed in the Ibero-American region was also planned.

Following the inaugural session, the Chilean Minister of Health received reports prepared by the Ibero-American thematic networks and the working groups on organ donation and transplants (Spain); migration of human resources (Uruguay); tobacco control (Brazil); public health research and training (Costa Rica); drug policies (Argentina); the Ibero-American Plan for the Elimination and Analysis of Tuberculosis (PAHO/WHO); and the design and evaluation of public health policies (Mexico).

Participating in the Iquique forum were the Ministers of Health and other health authorities of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Spain, and Venezuela, among others, as well as delegates from several international organizations.

Chile. Ministry of Health

Naciones iberoamericanas incrementarán esfuerzos conjuntos contra la exclusión y la inequidad en Salud /Ibero-American nations will increase joint efforts against social exclusion and inequity in health.

The final conclusions of the Conference were presented in the Declaration of Iquique-a reference document for the next Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government.

Twenty countries signed the Consenso de Iquique / Iquique Consensus, which underscores the need to continue progress aimed at developing integrated social protection systems for delivering universal health coverage. Emphasized within that framework is the importance of continuing to strengthen primary care and citizen participation as essential elements of social protection and equity, given the capacity of the health sector as an expeditious and effective area for the application of redistributive policies.

More information:
Consideraciones sobre Cohesión Social y Protección Social en Salud. Dr. Roses' presentation.
Ministros de Salud de Iberoamerica se reúnen en Chile.
Ministras y Ministros de Salud Iberoamericanos incrementarán esfuerzos conjuntos contra la exclusión y la inequidad.

For more information, please contact Diaz, Eng. Katia (WDC), Director's Office Web Master.