Washington, D.C., 13 January 2026 (PAHO) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) held a courtesy meeting with representatives of Ferrero International S.A. to mark the start of a new institutional partnership and discuss initial and potential future areas of collaboration to support public health efforts in the Americas.
The in-person meeting follows the signature in late 2025 of a Framework Agreement establishing a three-year collaboration between PAHO and Ferrero to support initiatives that contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of children, adolescents, and families in vulnerable conditions in the Region of the Americas.
As part of this collaboration, the parties are advancing an initial project focused on strengthening immunization services in communities affected by violence in Ecuador, with activities planned in the provinces of Guayas and Manabí. The initiative seeks to help address gaps in vaccination coverage among populations facing heightened social and security challenges.
“We sincerely thank Ferrero for its trust in PAHO and its willingness to support concrete public health actions at the country level,” said PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa. “Partnerships are essential to advancing public health when they are grounded in shared values, strong ethical standards, and respect for the independence of public health institutions.”
“We are honored to formalize this cooperation with PAHO. This collaboration reflects Ferrero’s commitment to supporting children and families in vulnerable conditions and contributing responsibly to concrete public health initiatives,” said Philip Myers, Chief Institutional Affairs and Corporate Communications Officer at Ferrero. “We believe meaningful progress is achieved through partnerships with trusted institutions grounded in science, integrity, and respect for public health priorities.”
During the meeting, PAHO and Ferrero also discussed opportunities to explore additional country-level initiatives aligned with national priorities and PAHO’s technical mandate
The Framework Agreement establishes a regional scope for collaboration that may include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico, with flexibility depending on project design and public health priorities. Areas of cooperation include health system strengthening, improving access to services for vulnerable populations, and enhancing immunization and emergency response capacity.
