Health in the Americas 2026: Prioritizing avertable disease burden to maximize impact

This edition of Health in the Americas examines how health challenges are evolving across the Region. 

The Region of the Americas has made important health gains over recent decades. However, regional averages mask inequities across countries and population groups. Furthermore, while coverage of essential health services has expanded, out-of-pocket health spending continues to push many households into financial hardship. 

The report finds that the burden of disease is shifting decisively toward chronic diseases and disability. A small set of modifiable risk factors, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess bodyweight, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and tobacco, alcohol, and drug use, drives multiple high-burden outcomes simultaneously. These patterns signal growing needs for integrated chronic disease management, mental health services, and continuity of care, alongside continued action to prevent premature deaths, violence, and injuries. 

The report also reveals a critical opportunity for improvement: approximately 40% of the Region’s disease burden in 2023 was estimated to be potentially avertable based on health outcomes already achieved by better-performing countries globally. To seize this opportunity, the report provides practical guidance on translating evidence into action. It shows how countries can set explicit priorities, organize services into priority service bundles, and deliver them through integrated health service delivery networks. Success requires strong stewardship and governance. Through the evidence and tools in this report, countries can identify where health gains are greatest and design interventions that deliver measurable health improvements.