The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO / WHO) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have a long history of partnering their efforts with the aim of improving health priority areas in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Region.
Since 1997, PAHO and USAID have worked together to strengthen health sector reform processes through the LAC Health Sector Reform Initiative (LACHSR) and the LACHSR.org Website.
In 2004, a new three-year $20 million regional agreement to improve maternal and child health, reduce infectious disease, and strengthen health systems was signed. The Health Systems Strengthening/Health Sector Reform component of the new joint agreement aims to improve health systems performance through public health capacity-building, comprehensive development of human resources for health, and scaling up health systems in an equitable, efficient and sustainable manner.
In 2006, the LACHSR.org Website was redesigned and renamed Health Systems Strengthening in LAC (www.lachealthsys.org) to emphasize PAHO and USAID’s commitment to health systems improvement in the Region of the Americas. The updated website includes three new sections namely, (1) Essential Public Health Functions (EPHFs); (2) Health Information Systems; and (3) Stewardship/Steering Role.
What do we offer?: Health Systems Country Profiles, Essential Public Health Functions, Health Information Systems, Stewardship/Steering Role, Health Reform, Health Sector Analyses, Social Protection in Health, National Health Policies, Toolbox, Cyber Library