PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa’s Plenary Intervention, Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, 24 July 2024, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, Dr. Barbosa’s Plenary Intervention, Your Excellency President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Honorable Minister Mauro Vieira, Honorable Minister Fernando Haddad, Honorable Minister Wellington Dias, Excellencies, Distinguished G20 Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, On behalf of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Brazil’s G20 Presidency for the launch of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty and commend President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Minister Wellington Dias for their exemplary leadership in leading this ambitious and vital initiative aimed at eradicating hunger and poverty worldwide. Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages is deeply linked to the commitment to end poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. The poorest populations are the most affected by diseases and exposed to risk factors. Simultaneously, illness can lead individuals into poverty, perpetuating cycles of hunger and malnutrition that inevitably impact economies and societies. Currently, the concept of “non-communicable diseases of poverty” is beginning to emerge strongly to emphasize on the underlying social and commercial determinants of health, including poverty and manipulation of food markets. In addition to individual risk factors such as the so-called “lifestyle”, poverty at different levels, from the individual to the state level, plays a predominant role in explaining the patterns of the disease. In the Region of the Americas, despite advances towards increasing public funding for health and efforts displayed to advance financial protection mechanisms, out-of-pocket payments still represent an important barrier to access health services and drive households into poverty. Approximately 34.4% of the population in this Region experience unmet health care needs, disproportionately affecting those in the poorest communities. Breaking this vicious cycle and addressing inequalities will require comprehensive policies and substantial public investment in health. Chronic hunger and malnutrition highlight the failure of food systems to provide healthy diets for all. Currently, 29.6% of the world’s population faces moderate to severe food insecurity. This issue is even more pronounced in Latin America and the Caribbean, where the rate is 37.5%. Between 2018 and 2021 in Latin America and the Caribbean, the cost of a healthy diet increased, reaching the highest cost compared to other regions in the world, a trend that is especially evident in the Small Island Developing States. Eliminating hunger and poverty is essential to ensuring healthy lives for all. Equally, equitable access to health is crucial for accelerating the fight against hunger and poverty. WHO and PAHO are committed to act at global, regional and country levels, contributing to policy development, knowledge sharing, collaboration and coordination to create synergies that will allow for tangible progress on zero hunger and poverty eradication, while reducing inequalities. In closing, I commend Brazil and G20 for your dedicated leadership in the fight against hunger and poverty. Your dedication inspires hope for a healthier and more equitable world. Thank you, obrigado. |