A new hemispheric health agenda

The Sustainable Health Agenda for the Americas 2018-2030 (SHAA2030) is a framework that reflects the highest level of strategic planning and policy for health in the Americas. It is a call for collective action to achieve higher levels of health and well-being within the new regional and global context. The Agenda is approved by the Pan American Sanitary Conference, the highest authority of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), representing all the countries of the Western Hemisphere.

The SHAA2030 represents the health sector response to commitments made by the countries in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, unfinished business from the Millennium Development Goals and the Health Agenda for the Americas 2008-2017, as well as future and emerging regional public health challenges. It will be implemented through the PAHO Strategic Plans and strategies, as well as through subregional and national health plans.

History of the agenda

PAHO Member States took the decision to develop the SHAA2030 during a side event at the 55th PAHO Directing Council in September 2016. A Countries Working Group (CWG) was formed the following month, and it collaborated closely with the Secretariat to develop the document. The CWG was composed of high-level representatives of 16 Member States from all PAHO subregions: North America (the United States and Mexico), the Caribbean (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados), Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama), and South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay). The CWG was chaired by Ecuador, and Panama and Barbados serve as vice-chairs.

To develop the Agenda, CWG and the Secretariat examined the health situation in the Region and progress made in implementing the Health Agenda for the Americas 2008-2017 and other regional and global commitments agreed by Member States. The development of the Agenda was a consultative process that obtained input from all countries of the Americas through PAHO's Governing Bodies, three face-to-face CWG meetings, and two regionwide consultations with all countries.

principles-200pxPrinciples

1. The right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health

2. Pan American solidarity

3. Equity in health

4. Universality

5. Social inclusion

Vision

By the year 2030, the Region and the countries of the Americas shall achieve the highest possible level of health with equity and well-being for all peoples throughout the life course, with universal access to health and universal health coverage, resilient health systems and quality health services.

Goalstarget-200px

1.  Expand equitable access to comprehensive, integrated, quality, people-, family- and community-centered health services, with an emphasis on health promotion and illness prevention.

2.  Strengthen stewardship and governance of the national health authority, while promoting social participation.

3.  Strengthen the management and development of human resources for health (HRH)[1] with skills that facilitate a comprehensive approach to health.p>

4.  Achieve adequate and sustainable health financing with equity and efficiency, and advance toward protection against financial risks for all persons and their families.[2]

5. Ensure access to essential medicines and vaccines, and to other priority health technologies, according to available scientific evidence and the national context.

6.  Strengthen information systems for health to support the development of evidence-based policies and decision-making.

7.  Develop capacity for the generation, transfer and use of evidence and knowledge in health, promoting research, innovation and the use of technology.

8.  Strengthen national and regional capacities to prepare for, prevent, detect, monitor and respond to disease outbreaks and emergencies and disasters that affect the health of the population.

9.  Reduce morbidity, disabilities and mortality from noncommunicable diseases, injuries, violence and mental health disorders.

10.Reduce the burden of communicable diseases and eliminate neglected diseases.

11.  Reduce inequality and inequity in health through intersectoral, multisectoral, regional, and subregional approaches to the social and environmental determinants of health.

Implementation of the Agenda

  • next-steps-200pxMember States should implement and report on the Agenda through collaborative efforts among themselves, the Pan American Sanitary Bureau and other strategic actors and partners at the national, subregional and regional levels.
  • Member States agree on the adoption of several key strategic approaches for implementing this Agenda.
      • National accountability for results
      • Advocacy and coordination of multisectoral actions
      • Interagency coordination and cooperation at the national level
      • South-South cooperation for health development
      • Regional interagency coordination
      • Strategic communication

[1] Including HRH talent management.

[2] This aligns with SDG 3.8 and with one of the strategic lines of the Strategy for Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage (CD53/5, Rev. 2 [2014]): Increasing and improving financing with equity and efficiency, and advancing toward the elimination of direct payments that constitute a barrier to access at the point of service.