The vital task of strengthening health systems in the Americas

The COVID-19 pandemic illustrated the devastating impact of global health crises and the importance of having efficient response systems in place as part of a prevention and preparedness strategy. The challenges for governments are not limited to the area of human health; an epidemic affects the economy, both of the household and of an entire country. People will struggle to access healthcare facilities while facing economic challenges due to a lack of livelihoods and social protection.

In particular, countries must work with a focus on the most vulnerable populations, including people with underlying health conditions, older adults, children, pregnant women, people living in extreme poverty and informal workers, and indigenous peoples.

In the face of the risks of easily and rapidly transmitted infectious diseases, the United Nations General Assembly established December 27 as International Epidemic Preparedness Day, which aims to raise awareness, educate, promote cooperation, and highlight the importance of epidemic preparedness and prevention. As part of its mandate, the World Health Organization (WHO) promotes international cooperation aimed at strengthening countries' capacity to respond to and mitigate the spread of epidemics. Global investment is essential to make health systems more resilient and to meet Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to achieve healthy lives and well-being for all. 

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) has made multiple efforts to make knowledge about the health-climate-environment nexus available to nations and organizations in collaboration with institutions such as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Columbia University's Global Consortium on Health and Climate Education (GCCHE). Recordings and course materials on the El Niño climate phenomenon and its impacts on the health and resilience of health systems in the region are available free of charge. Recently, the IAI also funded nine scientific studies that aim to contribute to developing public policies in Latin America and the Caribbean.

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