Advancing towards universal health in the Americas
My vision for the future of PAHO is to make it the leading Organization in supporting the countries of the Americas with the most innovative and efficient strategies to recover better than they were before, overcome inequalities, and build resilient health systems to improve the response to emergencies and disasters and to achieve universal health care.
To implement this vision, it must be PAHO's priority for the next five years to lead the Region and support the countries in five strategic pillars:
- Completion of pandemic control.
- Implementation of lessons learned during the pandemic.
- Recovery from the impacts of the pandemic on priority health programs, returning better than we were in 2019.
- Construction of resilient National Health Systems based on renewed and strengthened Primary Health Care.
- Permanent modernization and improvement of PAHO's management.
Dr. Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr., a national of Brazil, was elected Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) by the Member States on September 28, 2022, and began his five-year term on February 1, 2023.
From July 2017 until his appointment as Director, he served as PAHO's Assistant Director, leading the technical departments and PAHO’s Revolving Fund. In this position, Dr. Barbosa da Silva Jr. led the Organization’s efforts to support Member States in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and reducing its impact on priority public health programs, serving as a key spokesperson for PAHO.
Before joining PAHO in 2018, he held several positions in the Brazilian National Health System: Vice Minister for Health Surveillance, Vice Minister for Science and Technology, Deputy Minister, and President of ANVISA, the national health regulatory authority.
Dr. Barbosa da Silva Jr. has received several awards and recognitions and is an honorary member of the Brazilian National Academy of Medicine and an International Member of the American National Academy of Medicine. He has published numerous articles on global health, health systems management, disease surveillance, and digital transformation.
Official portrait
Disclaimer
You can download the official portrait of the Director of the Pan American Health Organization, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa.
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Link to the official photograph of Dr. Jarbas Barbosa
Photo for web use | High resolution photo
