PAHO supports the strengthening of nursing personnel and health workforce governance in Guatemala

Washington, DC, 21 August 2026 (PAHO) - The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) advanced its technical cooperation agenda with Guatemala to strengthen the planning and governance of health personnel. From 18 to 20 August, technical meetings were held with national institutions, along with the Policy Dialogue for the Strengthening of Nursing Personnel, in Guatemala City.

As part of the activities agenda, meetings and workshops were held with representatives of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS), the Guatemalan Social Security Institute (IGSS), and various institutions responsible for the training of nursing and medical professionals. These exchanges made it possible to follow up on ongoing actions, analyze priorities related to the health workforce, and identify new opportunities for technical cooperation.

On 19 and 20 August, the Policy Dialogue for the Strengthening of Nursing Personnel in Guatemala was held, bringing together 37 participants, including national authorities, representatives of academic institutions and students, the Guatemalan Association of Professional Nurses, the College of Nursing Professionals, the National Nursing Council, subnational managers, and other health system actors.

Over two days, participants analyzed data and evidence on the nursing workforce, identified priority challenges, and defined concrete actions to advance the implementation of the National Plan on Nursing 2026-2031, focusing on three strategic areas: (1) Working conditions and nursing development; (2) Nursing education and quality; and, (3) Identity, leadership, and governance in nursing.

"Nursing must be at the center of public policy in order to contribute to the transformation of health systems. When we talk about health system reforms, it is essential to place the role of nursing at the center," said Alma Morales, PAHO Representative in Guatemala.

Policy dialogues on nursing are a strategic mechanism for bringing together key actors from the health, education, labor, and regulatory sectors, with the aim of analyzing the situation of the nursing workforce and proposing evidence-based solutions. These spaces foster the participatory identification of policy priorities, the definition of concrete actions, and the establishment of interinstitutional commitments to advance toward common goals.

"Nursing is not only the largest group within the health workforce in the Region of the Americas; it is also the one closest to people and most involved in addressing the population's health problems. Policy dialogues are part of a regional movement to strengthen nursing and advance the implementation of an evidence-based roadmap," said Benjamín Puertas, Unit Chief, Human Resources for Health, PAHO.

"This is a strategic opportunity to move toward concrete commitments that strengthen nursing in Guatemala," said Sulma Bernal, Coordinator of the Nursing Services Development Unit of the MSPAS.

On 20 August, the regional mission concluded its agenda with a working meeting with IGSS authorities and technical staff to discuss the Strategy on Family and Community Health and to advance its implementation through the Subsidiary Agreement with PAHO.

The technical cooperation agenda reinforces PAHO's commitment to strengthening the governance and stewardship of the health workforce and to implementing actions that contribute to a sustainable nursing workforce, expanding its essential contribution to more effective, equitable, and resilient health systems, in line with the Policy on the Health Workforce 2030.

These activities were carried out with the financial support of the Universal Health Coverage Partnership (UHC-Partnership).