Available data indicates that indigenous and afrodescent peoples are amongst the most marginalized populations of the region, encountering considerable challenges with regards to social and health conditions and with higher levels of rurality or urban marginality, unemployment, poverty, and illiteracy.
They have less access to, and lower utilization of, health services, particularly quality health services, as compared to the rest of the population. Therefore, their health outcomes are poorer, presenting greater morbidity and mortality both from communicable and chronic diseases as well as external causes.
This meeting brings together representatives of the Ministries of Health from the Region as well as members of civil society and global experts to highlight some of the key issues in addressing ethnic disparities in health and to share their experiences and knowledge in order to provide impetus and best inform future actions.
Specifically, the meeting will also serve as a platform for discussion upon next steps towards a Strategy and Plan of Action to be presented to PAHO's Governing Bodies in 2017 and will also facilitate and support dialogue on the JAPER initiative: The US-Brazil Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality.
Agenda and concept note
Presentations:
- From social determinants to interventions to promote health equity: The Community Guide Health Equity Project - R. Hahn
- HIV stigma as a social determinant of health in Puerto Rico - S. Malavé Rivera
- Desafíos en la medición de datos de salud en poblaciones indígenas y afrodescendientes en América Latina - J. Morrison
- Presentación: Experiencias de colaboración en salud de los Metis de Canadá - Eduardo Vides
- Presentación: Hacia una estrategia y plan de acción sobre etnicidad y salud en el marco del acceso y la cobertura universal - S. del Pino
- Presentación: Salud en el Chaco: Igualdad en el acceso a los servicios de salud de la población indígena u originaria - L. Gutiérrez
Objectives of the meeting
- Discuss conceptual frameworks on Ethnicity and Health;
- Share experiences and highlight advances, challenges and opportunities in the field of Ethnicity and Health in the Region;
- Discuss next steps towards a Strategy and Plan of Action on Ethnicity and Health for the Americas;
- Facilitate and support dialogue on the JAPER initiative: The US-Brazil Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality
Expected results
- Increased knowledge on conceptual frameworks, experiences, challenges and opportunities related to Ethnicity and Health in the Americas;
- Shared experiences from countries in the region of work on addressing ethnic disparities in health;
- Dialogue facilitated on the JAPER Initiativ;
- Identification of next steps towards the development of an Action Plan for the Region on Ethnicity and Health, and amongst other initiatives, for the US/Brazil collaboration
Participants: Representatives from the Ministries of Health, and other relevant Governmental sectors, from PAHO's member states; Academia; global and regional experts in the field of Ethnicity and Health; prominent members of indigenous and Afrodescendent populations, members of civil society, PAHO focal points on Ethnicity and PAHO Regional Advisors on key issues; representatives from the US Department of Health and Human Services (e.g. CDC); representatives from the Brazil Ministry of Health (e.g. SEPPIR); representatives from UN entities and other international and bilateral agencies;
Place: Headquarters of the Pan American Health Organization, Washington, DC
