Brasilia, 5 July 2023 (PAHO/WHO) – The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, today met with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during an official visit to the country. The meeting was also attended by the country’s Health Minister, Nísia Trindade, and the representative of PAHO and the World Health Organization (WHO) in Brazil, Dr. Socorro Gross.
During the meeting, the President and Dr. Barbosa discussed priority issues for Brazil and the Region of the Americas, including the urgent need to recover vaccination coverage through the expansion of intersectoral actions, with social participation and political commitment.
“I thank President Lula for his strong support of immunization and for linking receipt of the Bolsa Familia (a Brazilian social support program) with ensuring people keep their vaccination cards up to date,” Dr Barbosa said.
The need to expand local development, innovation, and production of medicines, vaccines, and other health technologies in order to ensure greater self-sufficiency for Brazil and the Region of the Americas was also top of the agenda. Dr. Barbosa highlighted PAHO’s Revolving and Strategic Funds as mechanisms to guarantee access to essential health products at affordable prices.
Dr. Barbosa and the President of Brazil also discussed the importance of adopting innovative strategies to strengthen health systems in order to reach all people – particularly those in situations of vulnerability.
The PAHO director thanked the President for his efforts to promote cooperation between countries and territories of the Americas, with health as a fundamental pillar of cooperation and integration. He also pledged to facilitate the development of actions aimed at strengthening Pan-Americanism, solidarity and equity in the Region.
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