Washington, DC, 20 August 2024 — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) participated in technical activities aimed at promoting and assessing the Essential Public Health Functions (EPHF) in Bolivia, Colombia and Honduras. These actions are part of PAHO’s ongoing effort, alongside its Member States, to strengthen health systems across the Americas and promote equitable access to health services for all.
In Honduras, the launch of the Renewed EPHF Assessment Process took place with the participation of the Minister of Health, Carla Paredes, and PAHO/WHO Representative in Honduras, Emilia Solís Ortega. This initial phase of awareness-raising, targeted at internal and external health sector stakeholders, aims to unify criteria and content to comprehensively address the various stages of the assessment and the expected outcomes of the EPHF through a collective and intersectoral process. To implement the assessment tool, a coordination and governance space has been established under the leadership of the National Health Authority, involving all strategic stakeholders, both technical and political, who will carry out the evaluation process.
In Bolivia, a national event on the Renewed EPHF was held, organized by the Public Health Society of Chuquisaca, with over 250 health professionals participating. During the event, Ernesto Báscolo, head of PAHO's Primary Health Care and Integrated Service Delivery Unit, presented the main guidelines and evolution of essential public health functions over the years, highlighting the achievements made in their renewal process. Additionally, Raúl Pitarque, international PAHO consultant, delved into the main characteristics of each EPHF, emphasizing the role of authorities and health agents in their implementation in the countries of the Region. Participants also had the opportunity to continue their training through the Introductory EPHF Course for University Students (available in Spanish) hosted on PAHO's Virtual Campus.
In Colombia, the Introductory course to EPHF Course was conducted for experts and authorities as part of the Territorial Health Management Training Program. This course, attended by 350 health secretaries and officials from the Health Secretariats, focused on strengthening the renewed EPHF. The training included an online modality and concluded with a synchronous closing session, attended by national and PAHO authorities, reinforcing the role of the Health Secretariats in an integrated and equitable health system. The course is available on the Virtual Campus of Public Health.
Regarding next steps, in Bolivia and Colombia, continuous training for other health agents will be promoted, with a focus on university-level education. In Honduras, Phase 1 of the assessment process will be completed, including a gap analysis and the development of an action plan.
