The World Bank – PAHO Lancet regional health Americas commission on primary health care and resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract

Since the Declaration of Alma-Ata of 1978, Primary Health Care (PHC) has been acknowledged as a fundamental component of health systems and has been continuously used in response to countless health challenges. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), many countries have adopted and tailored the PHC approach, resulting in considerable success in health outcomes, but its development and priority vary across the region.1 During the COVID-19 pandemic PHC was typically underutilized throughout the response phase, as political and policy priorities were mainly placed on hospital care and vaccines. Despite noteworthy innovations in some countries during the pandemic, there was significant untapped potential within the realm of PHC for prevention and epidemic control, as well as for sustaining essential health services...