Panama Advocates for Enhanced Health Funding in the Americas
During the 78th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Panama’s Ministry of Health delegation advocated for a 20% increase in the health budget allocated to the Americas. Panama Supports 20% Increase in Health Budget for the Americas and this proposal aims to bolster the region’s health systems, ensuring they are better equipped to handle current and future health challenges.
The Panamanian delegation emphasized the importance of a robust and coherent global health architecture that supports vulnerable populations and guarantees collective preparedness and response to health threats. By increasing contributions, the World Health Organization (WHO) can enhance its capacity to fulfill its mandate effectively, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and accountability in its operations.
Addressing Regional Disparities in Health Funding
Despite being one of the most vulnerable regions globally, the Americas currently receive the lowest budget allocation from the WHO. Panama’s support for the budget increase underscores the need to rectify this disparity, ensuring that the region has adequate resources to address its unique health challenges.
The proposed budget augmentation is in line with the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) 2024–2025 biennium plan, which outlines a total budget of $820 million, with $700 million dedicated to base programs and $120 million for special programs, including emergencies .
Panama Supports 20% Increase in Health Budget for the Americas – Panama’s Commitment to Public Health Investment
Panama’s endorsement of the budget increase reflects its ongoing commitment to strengthening public health infrastructure and services. The country has previously demonstrated its dedication by allocating significant portions of its GDP to health expenditure and implementing innovative funding mechanisms, such as utilizing tobacco tax revenue to support health promotion initiatives .
For more insights into Panama’s health policies and investments, visit Panama Perspective.