The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Executive Committee, made up of nine countries of the continent, are meeting in Washington since 18th June to prepare documents that will establish strategies to improve the health of the region’s inhabitants. The meetings will continue until 22nd June and the final documents will be addressed at the 56th session of the Directing Council, which will take place in September. Additionally, the PAHO director, Carissa Etienne, met on 14th June with the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, to ensure the supply of oncological medicines, among others, and strengthen the public health system in Venezuela.

The Executive Committee of PAHO, chaired by Panama and constituted by Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Brazil, Belize, Canada. Chile, Colombia and Peru, debates action plans to prevent and control cervical cancer, and to guarantee universal access to health and universal health coverage, among others. The deliberations of the Committee will determine the final agenda that will be addressed during the 56th Directing Council, which is scheduled to meet from 24th-28th September this year in Washington.

In addition, the PAHO director, Carissa Etienne, made a three-day visit to Venezuela. There, she met with President Nicolás Maduro to address the critical health situation that has been going on in the Caribbean country for months. They agreed to work together to ensure the continued supply of medicines for the treatment of cancer and diabetes, among others. In the upcoming weeks, working groups will be created, made up of representatives of PAHO and the Venezuelan government, to continue discussing these topics.