Geneva, Switzerland, 19 May 2026 (PAHO) — Peru formally joined the Alliance for Primary Health Care (PHC) in the Americas, an initiative led by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the World Bank (WB) to strengthen health systems through investment, innovation, and technical cooperation.
The accession was formalized by PAHO Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa; Chief of the Health, Nutrition and Population Division at the IDB, Javier Guzmán; and Peru’s Minister of Health, Dr. Juan Carlos Velasco Guerrero, during a meeting held on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly taking place this week in Geneva, Switzerland.
As part of this incorporation, a national advisory board will be established to serve as a coordination and political and technical dialogue platform to support the development of short- and medium-term action plans aimed at strengthening PHC in line with national priorities.
The mechanism will also seek to help reduce inequities in access to health services and support responses to challenges such as noncommunicable diseases, population aging, and the effects of climate change on health.
“I congratulate this strategic decision. The signing of this Alliance goes beyond a cooperation instrument: it is a clear signal of political will to place primary health care at the center of the national development and well-being agenda,” said the Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director. “It also comes at a timely moment, when it is essential to consolidate achievements and address new challenges,” he added.
The initiative will also promote coordination among national and international stakeholders to strengthen the health system and encourage a more efficient and aligned use of resources, as well as technical and financial cooperation.
“We welcome Peru’s leadership in joining the Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas and advancing a space for strategic coordination between government and international partners,” said the Chief of the Health, Nutrition and Population Division at the IDB. “This coordination will make it possible to identify common priorities, strengthen technical assistance, and reinforce more integrated, equitable, and people-centered health systems,” he added.
In support of Peru’s accession to the Alliance, Michele Gragnolati of the World Bank Group highlighted that: “Peru has achieved remarkable progress in coverage and physical access to health services; its entry into the Alliance reflects this progress and opens a new stage: consolidating quality primary health care with real problem-solving capacity, sustainable and efficient financing, and robust digital integration.” For Gragnolati, “the Alliance offers a platform to learn from international experiences and accelerate this transformation, which the World Bank is committed to supporting in Peru,” he added.
PAHO will support Peru through technical cooperation, strengthening institutional capacities, and support for public policy dialogue to help ensure that primary health care becomes the foundation of a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable health system.
The Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas
The Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas (AxAPS) was launched in December 2023 by PAHO, the IDB, and the World Bank with the aim of strengthening investment, innovation, and the implementation of policies and initiatives aimed at transforming health systems across the Region.
Since its creation, the initiative has helped mobilize nearly US$1 billion to strengthen primary care in the Americas.
With Peru’s incorporation, the Alliance now brings together ten countries in the Region: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Peru, in addition to support from Brazil through a letter of intent signed in January 2026.
