Washington, D.C., September 30, 2025 (PAHO) — Regional vaccine production, the use of molecular kits for cervical cancer diagnosis, and telemedicine strategies to reach rural areas are some of the innovations that experts showcased at a briefing session titled “Advances in Innovative Uses of the Regional Revolving Funds (RRF),” during by the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) 62nd Directing Council.
The event, held at PAHO Headquarters, brought together high-level health authorities and regional experts to demonstrate how the Regional Revolving Funds—a regional pooled-procurement mechanism for vaccines, medicine, and related technology—are engendering initiatives that are actively transforming access to health technologies across the Americas. These pioneering initiatives reflect the evolution of the Regional Revolving Funds initiative as well as PAHO’s mandate to respond to the emerging needs of Member States.
“The pandemic reminded us of our dependence on global supply chains and at the same time, we are witnessing a rapid pace of innovation and the arrival of new technologies—often highly effective but also very expensive—placing great pressure on national budgets,” Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO said in the event.
This year, PAHO has made available cutting-edge products such as the HPV9 and the PCV20 vaccines, more than 30 pediatric cancer treatments, and medicines for breast and prostate cancers and rare diseases.
“These additions bring the latest technologies to our region faster, with conditions that make them sustainable. Member States’ demands are shifting, and our Revolving Funds must evolve just as quickly,” Dr. Barbosa said.
The session featured a panel moderated by Dr. Javier Guzmán from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and presented four emblematic cases that demonstrate new priorities in access to health technologies across the Region:
Regional vaccine production
Vice Minister of Health of Argentina, Dr. Cecilia Loccisano, shared her country’s experience with regional vaccine production, including with the PCV-20 vaccine, which protects against pneumococcal disease and can cause serious infections like pneumonia and meningitis, among others.
“The transfer of production from a pharmaceutical plant in Europe to Argentina involves a private investment of US$20M with the expectation of revenue over US$1B over the next decade. This can only happen with PAHO’s support in distributing vaccines in the Americas,” she said.
This milestone is the first of its kind and was made possible with technical support from PAHO’s Regional Revolving Funds. Loccisano explained that soon, Argentina along with other countries in the region will sign the first regional agreement to produce influenza vaccines with pandemic potential.
Loccisano also explained how PAHO’s Regional Revolving Funds is expected to save the Argentine government over US$2M in administering antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV over the next year.
“With the money saved, we provided a rapid response to the measles outbreak. We produced over 900,000 additional doses of the MMR vaccine destined to control the measles outbreaks where they occur,” Loccisano said.
Cervical cancer elimination
Dr. Kamaria De Castro, Chief Medical Officer in Antigua and Barbuda, presented a comprehensive strategy for cervical cancer elimination in the small island country. The strategy focuses on diagnosis and the use of molecular kits, which were acquired thanks to the Regional Revolving Funds.
Antigua and Barbuda has a population of 110,000, limited resources to invest in public health, and a limited number of health workforce. In addition, Antigua and Barbuda's island geography, distance, international shipping fees, and limited local logistics competition combine to create high delivery costs, that often outweigh the cost of the medical supplies.
Nonetheless, in 2021, the government introduced the HPV vaccine pilot program that included vaccines and testing kids for cervical cancer. Over the last two years, the country has received 3,000 doses of the HPV vaccine and 4,000 testing kits. In 2024, the Ministry of Health provided HPV testing for 2,000 women on the islands.
“All this was possible thanks to our partnership with PAHO’s Regional Revolving Funds, providing leverage for a small country that faces serious challenges in procurement,” she said.
Reducing the costs of high-priced health interventions
In Brazil, a high-cost medicines initiative has shifted its focus toward treatments for cancer and rare diseases. Such therapies are often financially out of reach for underserved and low-income households, yet they remain both a national priority and a regional necessity. Marise Ribeiro Nogueira, from Brazil’s Special Advisory Office for International Affairs emphasized that its large-scale procurement capacity could help expand access to these medicines across Latin America. In the first stages of this initiative, the Regional Revolving Funds have already achieved price reductions between 60 and 90% for specialty treatment therapies related to oncology and cancer.
“Brazil, contrary to some of the other smaller countries such as Antigua and Barbuda, has a population of 200 million, a strong market, and the facility to negotiate. But this does not mean that joint negotiation tactics are not important and crucial for national public policy regarding access to medicine and vaccines,” Ribeiro Nogueira said.
Expanding telemedicine initiatives
Peru’s Vice Minister of Public Health, Dr. Eric Peña Sánchez, presented the country’s telehealth project, which has enabled the delivery of diagnostic equipment such as electrocardiographs and blood pressure monitors to remote areas.
Peru obtained 63 digital mammograph machines, allowing the Ministry of Health to expand mammograph coverage in 25 rural regions. Geographical isolation is one of the major causes of breast cancer mortality, where many women are diagnosed in late stages of the disease.
By combining telehealth strategies with digital mammographs, the Ministry of Health has reduced the diagnosis time from several months to just five days.
“After the pandemic we discussed and reviewed the telehealth strategy and have learned that when we address the barrier of geography and the gaps of human resources, we can bring primary health care to people living in places with complex access,” Pena Sanchez said.
Telehealth devices are now available in the Regional Revolving Funds portfolio. Building on the momentum, PAHO continues to encourage its Member States to develop and strengthen telemedicine strategies.
The briefing session also included a video update on the digitalization of the processes of Regional Revolving Funds, highlighting improvements in user experience, efficiency, and transparency through the Member States portal.
The experiences of the four countries highlight the region’s rapid adoption of innovative approaches to expand access to health technologies. Building on these priorities, the Pan American Health Organization—through its Regional Revolving Funds—seeks to apply lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic while tackling emerging challenges, strengthening resilience and fostering greater self-reliance across the region.
“The Regional Revolving Funds are continuously adapting to meet the evolving needs of PAHO Member States. Through innovation—covering regional agreements, access to new technologies, and rapid responses—we enhance solidarity and promote health for all in the Americas,” said Santiago Cornejo, Executive Manager of PAHO’s Regional Revolving Funds.
