Washington, D.C., 14 November 2025 — Representatives from ministries and secretariats of health, government agencies, academic centers, private institutions, and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) country offices from several countries of the Region, including Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay, participated in the constitutive assembly of the Network to Advance Integrated Health Service Delivery Networks (IMPULSA-RISS). This new regional platform aims to strengthen the integration of health services and improve access to quality health care.
Integrated Health Service Delivery Networks (IHSDNs/RISS) are essential for implementing care models based on primary health care (PHC) and improving the articulation of services in contexts characterized by segmentation and fragmentation. IMPULSA-RISS will promote technical cooperation and the exchange of experiences among the institutions responsible for developing and coordinating integrated networks in the countries.
The assembly was opened by Ernesto Báscolo, Chief of the Primary Health Care and Integrated Service Delivery Unit at PAHO, who underscored the importance of a regional platform to support countries in strengthening their integration strategies.
Following the opening remarks, the Assembly approved by consensus the IMPULSA-RISS Statute, which defines its mission, vision, organizational structure, and working modalities. The Network is established as a collaboration mechanism to bring institutions together, strengthen capacities, and develop technical tools that support the planning, management, and coordination of health services at the territorial level.
The Assembly elected the first Executive Committee, composed of Marcela Cuadrado Segura, Board Member of the Administración de los Servicios de Salud del Estado (ASSE) of Uruguay; Luisa Yudelka Batista Reyes, Vice-Minister of Public Health of the Dominican Republic, as Vice-President; and Ana Claudia Cardoso, from the Ministry of Health of Brazil, as Member. The proposal was presented by Gustavo Rosell de Almeida, PAHO Advisor on Integrated Health Services. This Committee will be responsible for guiding the implementation of the Statute and coordinating the work of the technical groups.
A total of 28 applications to join the Network were also received, in line with the established mechanisms. PAHO will serve as the Technical Secretariat, providing methodological and operational support to the Network.
The elected President presented the IMPULSA-RISS working methodology, focused on knowledge management and the development of tools to support service organization in the countries. The Assembly agreed to establish technical groups dedicated to service organization, resources, financing, and governance. During the discussion, the delegation from Paraguay —represented by Orlando Ramón Figueredo Ojeda, Coordinator of Health Regions at the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare— highlighted recent progress and underscored the importance of having a regional space to guide and strengthen these processes.
IMPULSA-RISS is established as a key platform to accelerate the transformation of health services in the countries, harmonize approaches, and promote innovative, evidence-based solutions. With this new cooperation space, countries advance towards building more integrated health systems that are better prepared to effectively respond to the needs of people and communities.
