Washington, D.C., 5 February 2017 (PAHO/WHO) - The Director of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, is visiting Guyana from Feb. 5 to 8 to meet with high-level government officials and sign a new strategy for technical cooperation in health.
Her visit includes working meetings and courtesy visits with Prime Minister, Hon. Moses Nagamooto, First Lady Sandra Granger and Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence and her staff.
A top subject for discussion is the reconstitution and relaunch of Guyana's National Non-communicable Diseases Commission, which PAHO/WHO considers especially important since noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for 70% of deaths in Guyana. Other subjects that are expected to be discussed include universal health coverage and health financing, tobacco control legislation, health systems strengthening, human resources in health, and the health of women, adolescents, and older adults.
During her visit, Dr. Etienne is also scheduled to meet with Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge. So far she has held meetings with Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, and Deputy Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Dr. Douglas Slater, among others. Her agenda also includes a visit to the East La Penitence Health Centre.
The country cooperation strategy (CCSs) that is expected to be signed is a consensually agreed instrument to guide PAHO's work in the country. PAHO CCSs, which are developed with each PAHO Member State, are aligned with country priorities and also with the work plans of the World Health Organization (WHO), PAHO, the United Nations and other collaboration platforms, which facilitates an intersectoral approach to priority health problems. The agreements also incorporate core PAHO principles such as the right to health, equity, solidarity and diversity.
Guyana is one of eight "key countries" where PAHO places greater emphasis on its technical cooperation to ensure that equity gaps are closed.
