Panama City Declaration on Healthy Municipalities, Cities, and Communities of the Region of the Americas

Over the years, local governments in the Region of the Americas have been involved in different initiatives aimed at strengthening public policies that have an impact on the health of their populations. These initiatives have facilitated the sharing of experiences, capacity building, and the adoption of innovative policies. The role of governments in health has benefited from enormous opportunities for intersectoral action and the promotion of community participation in the design and implementation of public policies. The COVID-19 pandemic shed even clearer light on the key role of local governments in jointly and comprehensively addressing the social determinants of health to impact health, well-being, and equity.