In the Region of the Americas, health ministries are leading the HEARTS initiative with the support and technical coordination of PAHO/WHO.
2023
HEARTS-SUBREGIONAL WORKSHOPS 2023
In 2023, the HEARTS in the Americas initiative held four subregional workshops to update and share the innovations related to the implementation of HEARTS in the Americas, strengthening commitment and accelerating the implementation and expansion of the initiative in the countries.
The first workshop in South America was held in Argentina on April 19 and 20, followed by the Caribbean Subregional Workshop held in St. Lucia from May 16-18, and the Central American workshop held in Panama on June 6 and 7. Finally, the Andean Subregional Workshop took place in Ecuador from October 2 to 4, 2023. These workshops allowed the sharing of implementation experiences among the countries, identifying the main challenges in implementation and defining the best approach options, identifying roadmaps to accelerate implementation and scaling in countries, and expanding best practices.
Andean Subregional Workshop and National Workshop of Ecuador
(Ecuador, October 2-4, 2023)
Within the framework of the commemoration of World Heart Day, celebrated every September 29, the HEARTS Andean Subregional Workshop in the Americas was held in Ecuador. The country was chosen as the host due to its efforts and successes in implementing the HEARTS strategy. The workshop was attended by representatives and delegates of the Ministries of Health of the Andean countries (Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador) and other invited countries, such as El Salvador, Chile, Saint Lucia, and Paraguay, as well as technical teams from the MSP and PAHO/WHO.
Read more here (in Spanish)
Central America Subregional Workshop
(Panama, June 6-7, 2023)
The workshop was co-organized by co-organized by the Representation of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) in Panama and the Regional Program/HEARTS in coordination with the Diabetes Program. It included experts from PAHO/WHO and representatives from seven countries (Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Panama), made up of the coordinators and technicians who participate in the implementation of this initiative in the ministries of health and PAHO.
Read more here (in Spanish)
Virtual Workshop: Continuous Quality Improvement, HEARTS 2023 Performance, and 2024 Priorities.
On November 30 and December 1, 2023, the latest virtual workshop of HEARTS on Continuous QI took place. The essential components of the quality improvement system designed for the HEARTS initiative were reviewed, and the best regional experiences in its implementation were shared. The workshop showed the 2023 performance of HEARTS and 2024 priorities and promoted the regular use of the system for monitoring and evaluation in HEARTS-implementing countries. The performance evaluation results of these countries were discussed, and areas of technical cooperation were identified.
HEARTS-SUBREGIONAL WORKSHOPS 2023
(St. Lucia, May 16-19, 2023)
Regional Ministry of Health representatives and health managers gathered in St. Lucia for the first Caribbean HEARTS Initiative workshop, signaling a solid commitment of 17 countries and territories to the implementation of WHO/PAHO flagship Initiative for improving cardiovascular health. A workshop to improve cardiovascular risk management in the context of COVID-19 was conducted during two and a half days (from 16 to 18 May), followed by a one and a half workshop on noncommunicable diseases surveillance (18-19 May).
It allowed to improve knowledge and demonstrate cardiovascular risk management, best practices shared for improved implementation in the Caribbean, an application plan for the hypertension control drivers, and a NCD monitoring framework developed to suit each country’s situation.
Click here to access the agenda and links to the presentations.
NATIONAL MEETINGS
Train the Trainers Workshop
(Guyana, November 1-3, 2023)
Ministry of Health Guyana and PAHO/WHO organized the Train the Trainers Workshop to review the process for the implementation and scale-up of the HEARTS Initiative in collaboration and strengthen its position for national expansion. This workshop aimed to advocate for the sustained commitment by policymakers to the implementation and scale-up of the HEARTS Initiative, to build national training capacity on the HEARTS Initiative, including the Diabetes component for health care providers and other stakeholders at implementation sites, to support the development of a surveillance system for the HEARTS Initiative at the country level and to support the documentation of emergent lessons, impact, and results, including Ministry of Health and PAHO-led efforts to socialize and expand the initiative nationwide.
Click here to read the National HEARTS Scale Up Guide for Guyana 2021-2025
Read more about the collaborative work between the Ministry of Health Guyana and PAHO to launch the national expansion of HEARTS Initiative
HEARTS installation Workshop in Bermuda
(Bermuda, March 16, 2023)
Bermuda’s Ministry of Health convened its first sensitization and capacity-building meeting to implement HEARTS in the Americas on Thursday, March 16, 2023. Topics discussed included the facilities assessment, Blood Pressure measuring devices, and Team-based Care development.
Previous years
LAUNCHING HEARTS
MEXICO - Launching of HEARTS in the Americas and Training Workshop
(18-20 February, 2020)
The initiative was launched in a ceremony chaired by the Health Secretary, Dr. Jorge Alcocer Varela, and attended by PAHO/WHO, medical societies of cardiology, the Mexican Social Security Institute (MSSI), the Institute of State Workers Social Security and Social Services (ISSSTE), and academic institutions. Following the launch, training began for teams of trainers in the first five states to implement the initiative: Chiapas, Sonora, Campeche, Tabasco, and Yucatán.
PERU - Launch of HEARTS Initiative
(4 September, 2019)
Article in Spanish
ECUADOR - HEARTS National Meeting
(12-13 August, 2019)
Article in Spanish
PANAMA - HEARTS Implementation Workshop in Veraguas and Coclé Regions
(August, 2019)
Article in Spanish
REGIONAL AND TECHNICAL MEETINGS
Improving CVD Clinical Management through HEARTS Implementation in the Context of COVID-19 and NCD Surveillance in the Caribbean
(16-19 May, 2023)
A workshop to improve cardiovascular risk management in the context of COVID-19 was conducted during two and a half days (from 16 to 18 May), followed by a one and a half workshop on noncommunicable diseases surveillance (18-19 May)
Click here to access the agenda and links to the presentations
HEARTS annual planning workshop
(17-19 November, 2021)
The HEARTS annual planning workshop took place on November 17, 18, and 19, 2021, bringing together delegations from all 21 countries implementing HEARTS to address main technical challenges and solutions to accelerate the implementation of HEARTS in the Americas in the post-pandemic phase. Please click on the image to know more about the topics approached during the plenary sessions.
ECUADOR - Technical Meeting for HEARTS in the Americas Meeting on Regulatory Framework and Validation of Automatic Blood Pressure
(3-4 March, 2020)
The technical meeting on "Regulatory Framework and Validation of Automatic Blood Pressure " organized by the Pan American Health Organization, as part of the technical activities of the HEARTS Initiative, highlighted the need for a regulatory framework that progressively promotes and reinforces the availability of these devices, especially in primary care services, and training of personnel in the correct measurement of blood pressure and in the use of validated devices.
PANAMA - HEARTS Technical Meeting - Protocols and Essential Medications for Hypertension Control
( 19-20 November, 2019)
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - HEARTS Regional Meeting in Punta Cana
(14-17 May, 2019)
The HEARTS workshop, held in Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) from 14 to 17 May, 2019, featured world-class experts and representatives of the Ministers of Health and PAHO country offices from the countries that are implementing HEARTS in the Americas and demonstrating the viability of this initiative in Latin America and the Caribbean. The HEARTS regional workshop was held in parallel with the Interamerican Society of Cardiology Congress.