Washington, D.C., 24 February 2025 – The Regional Revolving Funds of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) announced its main achievements of 2024, including countries of the Americas increasing their investment in vaccines, medicines, and health technologies via the Fund compared to 2023.
Among its 2024 Milestones, the Regional Revolving Funds, a pooled procurement mechanism that enables countries of the Americas to purchase high-quality vaccines, medicines and other health technologies at competitive prices, highlighted the purchase of 224 million vaccine doses. Currently, thirty-two countries and territories of the region access at least 80% of their total need for vaccines and related supplies through the funds.
The Funds also purchased over 10 million diagnostic tests, including rapid tests for the swift diagnosis of diseases such as HIV, malaria, and leishmaniasis, among others, as well as treatment for a range of communicable diseases and noncommunicable conditions, including Hepatitis, tuberculosis and diabetes.
“Ensuring that countries of the Americas have access to the vaccines, essential medical supplies and equipment necessary to promote the health of their populations is crucial to building sustainable health care systems in the region,” Santiago Cornejo, Executive Manager, Regional Revolving Funds at PAHO said.
The PAHO Revolving Funds has been key to facilitating the provision of more cutting edge, high-cost medicines to the Region. The Fund recently joined the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, a joint initiative between the World Health Organization (WHO) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to distribute critically-needed childhood cancer medicines. The first country in the region to receive these medicines was Ecuador.
The Funds are also a crucial means through which to support the regional production of vaccines, medicines and medical supplies. In January this year, PAHO, the Government of Argentina, and the pharmaceutical company Sinergium Biotech announced a joint effort to facilitate local production and regional access to the new 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20). This inclusion, together with the analysis of the epidemiological context in each country, will help reduce the regional burden of pneumococcal diseases, offering protection for vulnerable populations throughout the life course, including children, people with comorbidities and the elderly.
“The lessons learned from the pandemic show us that supporting regional production is essential to building a more resilient region and fostering economic growth,” Cornejo added. “Providing manufacturers with a ready-made consumer base, and ensuring that countries can access these goods at competitive prices is key to achieving this.”
