News Releases

14 December 2020 - The United Nations General Assembly today declared 2021-2030 the Decade of Healthy Ageing. “Today’s announcement of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing sends a clear signal that it is only by working as one, within the United Nations system and with governments, civil society and the private sector, that we will be able to not…
Renewed roadmap aims to address health system weaknesses and eliminate barriers to access to care. In the Americas, nearly 30% of the population does not seek care when they need it.  Washington, DC, December 11, 2020 (PAHO) - The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) today urged the countries of the Americas to renew the essential public…
More than 753,000 deaths and 28.5 million cases reported in the Americas. Countries in the Americas have secured more than $1 billion in down payments and financial guarantees to participate in COVAX  Washington D.C., Dec. 9, 2020 (PAHO) – The Americas has been experiencing “the highest levels of COVID-19 cases since the start of…
Some 44% of deaths in the Americas are caused by diseases linked to unhealthy diets Washington DC, December 9, 2020 (PAHO) – Stark front-of-package warnings against foods excessive in fats, sugars, and sodium are the best way to help people avoid the unhealthiest purchases, a new PAHO report shows.   PAHO reviewed six different categories of…
Geneva, 8 December 2020 - WHO today launches a year-long global campaign for World No Tobacco Day 2021 - “Commit to Quit."  The new WHO Quit Challenge on WhatsApp and publication “More than 100 reasons to quit tobacco" are being released today to mark the start of the campaign. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to…
They call for a dialogue between health, science, technology, and industry to promote policies that increase access to these products and strengthen technological development and regional production, according to health needs  Washington, DC/Santiago, Chile, 7 December 2020 – With the aim of preventing interruptions in medical product…
7 December 2020 - With more than 100 vaccines currently in various trial phases and some reaching the pre-approval stage or being authorized for emergency use, accurate science reporting has never been more important. Journalists play a vital role in informing the public on science, specifically vaccine, developments, in an unprecedented period of…
Dr. Tabaré Vazquez was named an Americas Public Health Hero Washington, DC, December 6, 2020 (PAHO) - The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) marks with great sadness the passing of former Uruguayan President Tabaré Vázquez, who was distinguished in 2018 as a Public Health Hero of the Americas for his fight against tobacco and…
Washington, D.C., December 2, 2020 (PAHO)—The COVID-19 pandemic “disproportionally affects the most vulnerable – especially our populations of African descent” and PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne today urged health authorities to “face this pressing challenge.” In a press briefing, Etienne said, “We’re taking this issue as a priority and…