Washington, D.C., 28 September 2025 (PAHO/WHO) – Panama advances in strengthening its health system with the establishment of its Mesa Consultiva for Primary Health Care, within the framework of the Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas. This initiative is led by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to transform the region’s health systems.
“I commend Panama’s Ministry of Health for its leadership and vision, adding a new chapter to its history of decisive progress to improve the health and well-being of its entire population,” said PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa during the during the establishment ceremony of the Mesa Consultiva.
The creation of the Mesa marks a new step in Panama’s participation in this regional alliance, which it joined in 2024. This fifth such mechanism in the Region will serve as a platform to enhance technical cooperation, mobilize resources, and attract investments aligned with national health priorities.
“Today we reaffirm that health is not an expense but an investment in the well-being of our people, in economic development, and in social cohesion,” said Panama’s Minister of Health, Dr. Fernando Boyd Galindo. “This alliance thus becomes an essential tool to confront the challenges posed by climate change, demographic and epidemiological transitions, and the growing demands of a population that expects and deserves quality health services,” he added.
The Mesa Consultiva is a strategic dialogue space that will bring together the Ministry of Health, PAHO, IDB, the World Bank, and local stakeholders. It will support the implementation of evidence-based policies and investment plans for primary health care.
This action aligns with the priorities set out in PAHO’s 2023-2028 Country Cooperation Strategy with Panama, which aims to strengthen health authority, reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases, advance mental health, tackle communicable diseases, and manage public health risks.
“Panama has made significant progress towards universal health coverage. However, challenges remain in ensuring equitable access and quality services for its entire population,” said Jaime Saavedra, Director of Human Development for Latin America and the Caribbean, World Bank. “With this step, Panama reinforces its commitment to strengthening primary health care and leveraging digital innovation, such as telemedicine, to reduce persistent gaps,” he noted.
For his part, Ferdinando Regalía, Manager of the Social Sector at the IDB, stressed: “Our experience with the Alliance has shown something clear: when institutions work together in a coordinated way, we achieve much more. Panama is a great example-its commitment to strengthening primary health care, especially reaching those most in need, is building a fairer health system that is better prepared to face challenges,” he emphasized.
Advances in health and digital transformation
In recent decades, Panama has shown strong commitment to health innovation. It has one of the most comprehensive vaccination programs in the region and was a pioneer in introducing the HPV vaccine.
The country is also implementing a digital transformation strategy in health, including an innovative program to strengthen primary health care through telemedicine. This initiative is reaching even Indigenous territories, and the country has set the goal of eliminating more than 15 communicable diseases by 2030, using a subnational approach to improve access to health for vulnerable communities.
With the establishment of its Mesa Consultiva, Panama joins Chile, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Paraguay, which already have theses mechanisms in place under the framework of the Alliance for Primary Health Care.
About the Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas
Launched in December 2023 by PAHO, the IDB, and the World Bank, the Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas aims to strengthen investment, innovation, and policy implementation to transform health systems in the region, with a strong emphasis on primary health care.
The Alliance operates through a decentralized and participatory structure that fosters strategic and technical dialogue among the three organizations, and national health authorities.
It supports the development of national primary health care investment plans and provides guidance on enhancing health system resilience and capacity. It also collaborates with countries in the design and implementation of evidence-based interventions tailored to local contexts and challenges.
