Washington DC, 19 January 2024 (PAHO)- The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness of Jamaica, conducted a workshop aimed at identifying strategic and high-priority actions resulting from the evaluation and strengthening of the Essential Public Health Functions (EPHF). Following the conclusion of this workshop, Jamaica joins several countries in the Caribbean subregion in the comprehensive evaluation and strengthening of the renewed EPHF.
The renewed proposal of the EPHF seeks to guide the development of public health policies through intersectoral collaboration during four stages that are part of an integrated policy cycle: evaluation, policy development, resource allocation, and access.
Throughout the session, participants actively collaborated to delineate tangible strategic and priority actions, focusing on bridging critical gaps, and aligning initiatives with national health plans. This marks a significant milestone as it provides crucial input for the advancement of existing sectoral and extra-sectoral health policies, the reinforcement of stewardship and governance, and the enhancement of public health capacities.
Jamaica remains committed to this ongoing process, fostering continued discussions to ensure the practical application and seamless integration of the workshop's outcomes into the broader health landscape.
PAHO provides technical cooperation on the essential public health functions related to assessment, policy development, resource allocation, and access; to strengthen health systems, particularly to prevent, detect, assess, evaluate, and respond to public health events; and to promote the adoption of integrated, multisectoral approaches to achieve universal health.
