But we’ve seen throughout this pandemic that countries can increase public spending on health 🩺
@DirOPSPAHO #COVID19
Few countries invest as much public spending in their health systems 🏥 as they should, leaving them prone to shortages in health personnel 👨🏾⚕️👩🏻⚕️ and essential supplies, as well as crumbling infrastructure and underfunded essential public health functions.
@DirOPSPAHO #COVID19
Chronic underinvestment has made the Americas 🌎 vulnerable to COVID-19.
This is especially true during a pandemic 🦠, as it’s at the primary care level that COVID testing, contact tracing and immunizations 💉 take place.
@DirOPSPAHO #COVID19
So, when countries deprioritize these services, they leave patients with fewer of the services and care they need to stay healthy 🩺
That’s why building more resilient health systems 🏥 should start here, at the first level of care.
@DirOPSPAHO #COVID19
To address these inequities, countries 🌎 must prioritize public investments in their health systems to leave no one behind.
It’s essential to bring more people into the system & improve access for all, because even before the pandemic, nearly 30% of people in our region couldn’t access health services because of who they are, where they live or because the cost was simply too high @DirOPSPAHO #COVID19
🔸Primary care is the backbone of our health systems 🏥
Strong primary care services can meet most people’s health needs, close to the communities they serve.
It’s also at the primary health care level that prevention takes a big focus.
Reproductive health services, nutrition care and support for managing chronic conditions were interrupted in more than 40% of countries 🌎
🔸These services have one thing in common: they’re offered at the first level of care.
More than half of countries in our region reported disruptions to mental health services and routine immunization programs 💉
@DirOPSPAHO #COVID19
