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History of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)

The First International Conference of American States, held in Washington, D.C., from 2 October 1889 to 19 April 1890, provided a major impetus for Pan Americanism. During the session of 7 December 1889, the delegates approved the creation of a Tenth Committee, composed of seven members from five countries (Brazil, Nicaragua, Peru, the United States, and Venezuela), to consider and report on the new methods of establishing and maintaining health regulations in trade between the various countries represented at the Conference. The Tenth Committee recommended, and the Conference endorsed the recommendation, that the American republics adopt the International Sanitary Convention of Rio de Janeiro (1887) or the text of the Sanitary Convention from the Lima Congress (1888).

With the historical background of these international health agreements, the Second International Conference of American States (Mexico City, 22 October 1901-22 January 1902) created a Tenth Committee, which presented a report in January 1902 that was approved by the Conference. It recommended that the International Bureau of the American Republics (today the Organization of American States) call a general convention of representatives of the health organizations of the American republics to formulate sanitary agreements and regulations and to periodically hold health conventions. It also recommended that the general convention designate a permanent executive board to be known as the International Sanitary Bureau, with headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Conferencia

In 1870, a yellow fever epidemic struck Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina and, within eight years, had spread to the United States, where it killed more than 20,000 people. Maritime transport, which was expanding rapidly along with international trade, was the main channel for the international spread of disease at the end of the 19th century. The need to control the spread of epidemics from one country to another to protect people's health and countries' economies led to the creation in December 1902 of what is today known as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

The Pan American Sanitary Bureau

The Pan American Sanitary Bureau (PASB) is the Secretariat of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

The Bureau is committed to providing technical support and leadership to PAHO Member States as they pursue their goal of Health for All and the values therein.

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Photo courtesy of the Martin Luther King Library,Washington, D.C.

The First International Sanitary Convention of the American Republics took place in Washington, D.C., from 2 to 5 December 1902, and was attended by representatives of 11 countries.

On 2 December, the day the convention opened, the International Sanitary Bureau was founded and assigned the following functions:

  1. To urge each Republic to promptly and regularly transmit to the Bureau all data relative to the sanitary conditions of their respective ports and territories.
  2. To obtain all possible aid for a thorough, careful, and scientific study and investigation of any outbreaks of pestilential disease which may occur in any of the said Republics.
  3. To lend its best aid and experience toward the widest possible protection of the public health of each of the republics in order that disease may be eliminated and that commerce between the said Republics may be facilitated.
  4. To encourage and aid or enforce in all proper ways the sanitation of seaports, including sanitary improvements of harbors, sewage, drainage of the soil, paving, elimination of infection from buildings, and destruction of mosquitoes and other vermin.

On 2 December 2022, the Pan American Health Organization celebrated 120 years of active work in the public health arena of the Americas, collaborating with and supporting the countries of the Region to improve the health and well-being of their populations. To mark this auspicious anniversary, celebrations were held throughout the Region at the country, sub-regional and headquarters levels to highlight the historic public health gains made by our Member States and catalyzed through PAHO's work.

 

Timeline - 120 Years of Active Work in the Public Health Arena of the Americas