WASHINGTON, DC — A new report by the World Bank and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Lancet Regional Health Americas Commission has warned that Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) risk major setbacks if resilience is not built into primary health care (PHC) systems.
Launched during the 62nd Directing Council Meeting of Health Ministers at PAHO headquarters, the report highlights the potential human and economic toll of disruptions to essential health services. It notes that health shocks—such as pandemics or natural disasters—could result in large-scale preventable deaths and significant long-term economic losses across the region.
According to the findings, a disruption that reduces PHC coverage by 25–50% over a one-to-five-year period could generate societal costs between US$7 billion and US$37 billion. Conservative estimates show such a shock could lead to 32,100–164,800 additional deaths, including up to 11,300 maternal deaths, 10,000 child deaths, more than 149,000 deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), as well as 2.7–14.1 million unintended pregnancies.
The report stresses that the LAC region is likely to face more than one such shock in the coming years, amplifying the risks.
“There is no trade-off between building strong primary health care and building resilience—they go hand in hand. Without a resilient PHC, the next crisis will again hit the poorest and most marginalized communities the hardest, " said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO.
He continued: “Without resilient PHC, the next crisis will hit the poorest and most marginalized communities the hardest. With it, essential services—prevention, treatment, and care—can continue before, during, and after shocks. Resilience is not a luxury; it is the foundation of health security, social stability, and economic growth.”
The report also reflected on the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that the LAC region accounted for roughly 30% of global deaths during the crisis—underscoring the vulnerability of its health systems.
“Strengthening primary health care is one of the greatest health challenges of Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Jaime Saavedra, World Bank Director of Human Development for the region.
The Commission issued several recommendations aimed at reducing the impact of future health crises and strengthening economic resilience through improved PHC systems.
The PAHO meeting concluded on October 2 in Washington, DC.
