Geneva, 23 May 2017 (PAHO/WHO) -The proposed Sustainable Health Agenda for the Americas 2018-30 (SHAA2030) was the focus of a well-attended meeting of Heads of Delegation of the Americas at the 70th World Health Assembly today.
Once finalized and approved later this year, the SHAA 2030 will constitute the highest-level strategic planning and policy framework for collective actions to achieve higher levels of health and well-being throughout the hemisphere. The Agenda contains 11 goals and more than 50 targets that Member States of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are expected to reach by 2030, for attaining universal access to health and universal health coverage, resilient health systems, and quality health services.
A 16-member Countries Working Group (CWG) was formed in October 2016 to develop the draft SHAA2030 document. The CWG, composed of high-level representatives from all PAHO subregions, is chaired by Ecuador. Panama and Barbados serve as vice-chairs.
"It was very challenging to draft this visionary document," said the Ecuador Minister of Health, Verónica Espinosa . "A very careful process was drawn up to collect contributions from Member States for establishing the Agenda targets. Now the Agenda requires further careful review and refinement by Member States," Espinosa said, adding that that final draft of the SHAA2030 will be presented for approval at the 29th Pan American Sanitary Conference in Washington, D.C. in September 2017.
The proposed SHAA2030 represents the health sector response to commitments endorsed by PAHO Member States in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It builds on strategic planning for health policy at the highest level, and will be operationalized through PAHO's strategic plans and strategies, as well as through subregional and national health plans.
"It is essential that we all contribute to this health agenda," PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne told assembled delegates. "it is yours, you must own it, and you have PAHO's full support as we seek together to achieve and even surpass the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in our region."
