The Minister of Health of the Nation, Carla Vizzotti, led today at the San Martín Palace the LII Meeting of Ministers of Health of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and Associated States in which the main axes of the health agenda were addressed regional with a focus on sexual and reproductive health, environmental health, and productive capacity.
After presenting the work carried out in the Argentine Pro Tempore Presidency during the first half of 2023, Vizzotti transferred it to her from the Federative Republic of Brazil, Nísia Trindade Lima. The opening of the meeting had the virtual participation of the director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO-WHO), Jarbas Barbosa de Silva; and the presence of the Minister of Health of Brazil, Nísia Trindade Lima; the Minister of Public Health of Uruguay, Karina Rando; the Minister of Public Health and Social Welfare of Paraguay, Julio Borba; the Minister of Health of Chile, Ximena Aguilera; and the representative of PAHO-WHO in Argentina, Eva Jané Llopis.
In addition, the Minister of Health and Sports of Bolivia, María Renée Castro, attended in virtual format; and health authorities of Colombia and Ecuador. “In this meeting we see how Mercosur can have a powerful voice to think about health as an axis of development,” Vizzotti stressed when opening the meeting.
Thus, she highlighted that “our responsibility as ministers is to put health at the center of the scene and think about it not only in terms of health development but also in terms of the social and economic development of the countries.” Along these lines, he highlighted the “production and productivity of all technical and health teams during and after the most important health crisis of the last hundred years” and highlighted the “need to continue working with a comprehensive view and approach, with all areas of government and jurisdictions.” Finally, Vizzotti pointed out the importance “of emphasizing the presence of women in decision-making positions.” And she added: “It is a collective construction that fills me with pride and joy, and that also helps other women know that they can reach these places.” In turn, the PAHO director expressed his desire that the next summit of Mercosur heads of state, to be held in July, “have health as a central theme to advance economic recovery and policies to combat poverty.” poverty”.
In that sense, he expressed his commitment to use all of PAHO’s capacity to “create more robust, equitable, supportive and resilient health systems.” Barbosa valued the efforts of Mercosur where two member countries, Argentina and Brazil, were selected and are working to increase local production capacities through the development and production of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines in Latin America. “Reducing the region’s dependence on the rest of the world and increasing intraregional trade provides opportunities for strengthening the medicines and other health technologies industry, economic and social integration, and improving access to health,” he stated.
