At a high-level side event during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) joined health ministers, global financial institutions, and strategic partners to advocate for expanding primary health care (PHC) as the foundation for addressing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which remain the leading cause of death globally. Co-hosted by the Governments of Mexico and Saudi Arabia, along with PAHO and the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, the event titled “Revolutionizing Care for Noncommunicable Diseases: Expanding Access through Primary Health Care” showcased country-led reforms as examples for global adoption. Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director, emphasized that scaling up PHC requires reorganizing resources and institutions, demonstrating through shared experiences that progress is achievable.
Noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory conditions, are the primary cause of death in the Americas. Despite significant advances, millions of people still lack access to essential services, medicines, and diagnostics. If untreated, NCDs could cost the region up to 4% of GDP by 2050 due to lost productivity and rising healthcare expenses.
Dr. Barbosa outlined four major policy shifts to transform NCD care through PHC. First, a shift toward people-centered care is needed, moving away from hospital-focused models to community- and individual-oriented approaches, ensuring prevention and early detection are accessible. Second, integrating financing and service delivery can address inefficiencies caused by siloed programs, embedding NCD care into essential PHC packages. Third, embracing innovation through affordable diagnostics, essential medicines, and digital tools is critical as health technologies evolve. Finally, intersectoral action is necessary, addressing NCD drivers such as food systems, labor conditions, education, and environmental exposures through coordinated policies across sectors.
These approaches are already yielding results in various countries. Mexico’s IMSS-Bienestar provides free NCD care to underserved communities, including home medicine delivery and follow-up. Chile and Costa Rica sustain PHC-based chronic disease management through fiscal and social agreements, while Uruguay integrates tobacco control with PHC reforms. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 leverages telemedicine to deliver NCD care on a scalable level.
PAHO plays a strategic role in accelerating regional transformation. Its Better Care for NCDs Initiative, launched in 2023, offers technical guidance for integrating NCD services into PHC, prioritizing underserved populations. The HEARTS in the Americas initiative, active in 28 countries, has reached over 10,000 primary care facilities, treating millions for hypertension and diabetes. PAHO’s Regional Revolving Funds ensure continued access to affordable medicines and diagnostics. Additionally, the Alliance for Primary Health Care—led by PAHO, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the World Bank—manages an $8 billion health portfolio to coordinate investments, drive innovation, and reduce fragmentation.
The event concluded with a shared consensus that integrating NCD care into PHC is both necessary and achievable. Dr. Barbosa highlighted that embedding NCD care within PHC can reduce catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses, strengthen societal resilience, and safeguard productivity, making PHC the cornerstone of the global response to NCDs. The panel featured interventions from leaders including Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Health Abdulaziz bin Hamad Alramaih, Mexico’s Undersecretary of Health Policy Ramiro López Elizalde, and WHO EMRO Regional Director Dr. Hanan Balkhy, alongside health ministers from Argentina, Barbados, Ethiopia, and Somalia, who shared national experiences in expanding access to services, medicines, and technologies.
