Rio de Janeiro, July 24, 2024 – In a meeting with the President of the Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Americas, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, congratulated the Brazilian government for its proposal to create a Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty within the G20 framework.
The exchange took place shortly after the pre-launch of the initiative today, 24 July, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During his intervention at the event’s plenary session, Dr. Barbosa also commended President Lula and Brazil’s Minister for Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger, Wellington Dias, for putting forward the proposal.
The aim of the Global Alliance is to obtain resources and exchange knowledge for the implementation of public and social policies proven to be effective in ending hunger and poverty worldwide.
According to the PAHO Director, the poorest populations are the most affected by diseases and exposed to risk factors, which can in turn lead to an even greater reduction in income. “Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages is intrinsically linked to the commitment to end poverty, hunger and malnutrition,” he said.
He pointed out that, in the Americas, despite advances towards increasing public funding for health and efforts to advance financial protection mechanisms, out-of-pocked payments still represent a crucial barrier in accessing health services and drive households into poverty.
“Approximately 34.4% of the population in this Region experience unmet health care needs, disproportionately affecting those in the poorest income quintile compared to the richest,” he said, adding that 37.5% of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean also faces food insecurity.
In this context, the PAHO Director stressed that, to break this vicious cycle and overcome inequalities, comprehensive policies and substantial public investment in health are needed. “Eliminating hunger and poverty is essential to ensuring healthy lives for all. Equally, equitable access to health is crucial for accelerating the fight against hunger and poverty,” he said.
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