Local capacity key to ensure global pandemic preparedness, PAHO Director says in New York

New York City, March 26, 2026 - The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, underscored the essential role of local health system capacity in preventing and responding to pandemics during his participation in today's Third Session of the Thematic Dialogue Series on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPPR).

The session, organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Foundation, in collaboration with Canada, Denmark, Qatar, and Sierra Leone, in New York City, is part of a global consultation process informing preparations for the 2026 United Nations High-Level Meeting on PPPR.

Addressing Member States and global health stakeholders, Dr. Barbosa emphasized a key lesson drawn from decades of experience in the Americas: "Pandemics may be global in consequence, but they are always local in origin, detection, and response." He stressed that "what happens, or fails to happen, at the local level, determines whether an outbreak is contained", or becomes a "global crisis."

Dr Barbosa highlighted that strengthening local capacities, including the health workforce, laboratory systems, surveillance, infection prevention and control, and primary health care, is "fundamental to global health security."

Reflecting on the experience of the Americas, Dr. Barbosa noted that the Region has faced repeated public health emergencies, from H1N1 and Zika to COVID-19, while also emerging as a leader in innovation and resilience. He pointed to the combination of stronger national systems and effective regional cooperation as a key driver of improved preparedness. "This combination of local capacity anchored in regional solidarity is what transforms vulnerability into resilience," he said.

Dr. Barbosa cited recent data demonstrating the impact of these investments. In 2025 alone, PAHO's epidemiological intelligence activities analyzed more than 1.8 million signals and detected 128 new public health events across Latin America and the Caribbean. These systems have enabled rapid responses to emerging threats, such as outbreaks of yellow fever and Oropouche, while also supporting the continuity of essential health services during crises, including through PAHO's SMART hospitals initiative.

He also highlighted regional mechanisms such as PAHO's Revolving Funds, which have strengthened supply chains, expanded access to essential health products, and supported more resilient health systems across countries.

Despite this progress, he warned that significant financing gaps continue to undermine global preparedness efforts. "Current levels of investment, both nationally and internationally, are far from sufficient to build sustainable preparedness systems," he said. "Without predictable and scaled-up investment in local capacities, we will remain in a cycle of crisis and response."

Dr. Barbosa called for the 2026 High-Level Meeting on PPPR to prioritize sustained investment in local systems, alignment with primary health care and universal health coverage, and strengthened regional cooperation. He also emphasized the importance of ensuring equitable and sustainable financing mechanisms to support long-term preparedness.

"Global health security is only as strong as the weakest local system," he concluded. "If we invest in strong, resilient, and trusted local systems, we do not only prepare for the next pandemic, we prevent it from becoming one."