High-level dialogue seeks to strengthen cooperation between Europe and the Americas to advance primary health care

Geneva, Switzerland, 18 May 2026 (PAHO) - In the framework of the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), jointly with the WHO Regional Office for Europe, participated in the high-level dialogue "The role of Primary Health Care in safeguarding equity for a more robust global health ecosystem: advancing cooperation across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean," hosted by the Government of Spain to promote the exchange of experiences and strengthen interregional cooperation on primary health care (PHC).

The meeting brought together ministers of health, government representatives, international organizations, development banks, and strategic partners from Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss the role of PHC as a platform for strengthening the resilience, equity, and sustainability of health systems.

During his remarks, PAHO Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, emphasized that primary health care represents a strategic platform to strengthen health systems, address inequities, and promote economic and social resilience. He also underscored the importance of advancing toward more structured cooperation between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean, based on shared values such as equity, innovation, and stronger health systems.

The dialogue took place amid global challenges including fiscal constraints, population ageing, growing inequalities, and the need to strengthen the resilience of health systems. In this context, participants highlighted the importance of advancing more structured mechanisms for interregional cooperation and sustainable financing to support the transformation of PHC-based health systems.

In this context, Barbosa highlighted the Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas, a joint initiative led by PAHO, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to accelerate investments and support the transformation of health systems based on PHC across the Region. The initiative promotes collective action by aligning policies, financing, and technical capacities.

The Director of PAHO also stressed that investment in health is a strategic driver for sustainable and inclusive growth and noted that primary health care offers an opportunity to promote more agile technical cooperation focused on delivering tangible results for populations.

The event was led by Spain's Minister of Health, Mónica García, and included the participation of the WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, as well as representatives from the World Bank, the Interamerican Development Bank, and the Directorate-General for International Partnerships of the European Commission.