After the Covid-19 pandemic, the region regressed in progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in health and a report from ECLAC and PAHO urged governments to increase public investment in health.
Four years after the Covid-19 pandemic began, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) they warned that The region regressed by 32% in its progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in Health of the 2030 Agenda.
For this reason, the organizations urge Latin American governments to “increase public investment in health until it reaches at least 6% of the gross domestic product (GDP), allocating 30% of said public spending to primary health careprioritizing the first level of health care and guaranteeing its financial sustainability in a comprehensive manner in terms of coverage and sufficiency of benefits,” the document highlights.
The deterioration of health after the pandemic
According to the report, One of the most worrying indicators is the increase in maternal mortality and the drop in immunization coverageas well as those associated with malnutrition and mental health and highlights that these setbacks interrupt decades of progress. In 2022, Immunization coverage in several countries in the region fell below 80%far from the 95% target recommended to avoid epidemic outbreaks. Besides, Maternal mortality, which gradually decreased, rose again by 11% since the start of the pandemic.
Furthermore, the report highlights that Barriers to access to medical care especially affect the most vulnerable populations, increasing poverty and inequality in the region. “Without health, it is not possible to achieve sustainable development”he highlights.
In this sense, it urges the governments of the region to transform health systems to make them more comprehensive and resilient to future crises. Chronic underfinancing and fragmentation of services in the region exacerbate the situation, limiting countries’ ability to respond effectively to health emergencies and reducing opportunities for economic growth.
Deaths from Covid-19 in the region represented 27% of deaths worldwide
In addition to the deficiencies in financing, The report highlights that the pandemic resulted in considerable excess mortality, since 27% of all Covid-19 deaths worldwide were concentrated in the region.despite representing only 8% of the total population.
In conclusion, the ECLAC and the OPS They emphasize that the investment in health is key to overcoming the setbacks of these years and move towards an inclusive and sustainable development model in order to improve quality and access to health services to promote economic growth and reduce poverty. According to the report, without decisive intervention, progress towards sustainable development in the region will continue to be at risk.
Source: Ambito
