The Ministry of Health of El Salvador (MINSAL), with the support of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Bank (WB), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), organized a two-day technical workshop to strengthen coordination and advance the implementation of the country’s primary health care (PHC) model. The event, held on October 16–17 in Washington, D.C., formed part of the activities of the Mesa Consultiva of the Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas (AxPHC). It served as a platform to align cooperation initiatives, identify synergies, and develop a joint roadmap to transform El Salvador’s health system through a PHC-based approach.
In accordance with the Ministry’s strategic priorities, the workshop aimed to define technical, operational, and institutional agreements among the international agencies and national authorities to ensure effective coordination in key areas such as integrated health service networks, digital health, and workforce development. The discussions focused on aligning strategies and optimizing support to strengthen the national health system’s resilience and equity.
The event was led by Carlos Alvarenga, Vice Minister of Health Management and Development at MINSAL, and attended by senior representatives from PAHO, the World Bank, and the IDB. Among them were Gianluca Cafagna from the World Bank, Ignacio Astorga from the IDB, and senior PAHO officials including Marcelo Korc, Ernesto Báscolo, and Benjamín Puertas. Their participation underscored the shared commitment of international partners to support El Salvador’s health sector transformation and capacity building.
The Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas, launched in December 2023 by PAHO, the IDB, and the World Bank, seeks to drive investments, innovation, and policy development to strengthen PHC as the foundation of equitable and sustainable health systems. El Salvador joined the Alliance in December 2024 through the creation of its Mesa Consultiva, a national mechanism for coordinating investment, technical cooperation, and financing among MINSAL and its partners. This platform facilitates political and technical dialogue to enhance the Ministry’s leadership role and support the development of integrated and people-centered health services.
Since its establishment, several other countries in the region — including Chile, Panama, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic — have created similar national Mesas Consultivas, reinforcing regional collaboration under the Alliance to advance PHC transformation across the Americas.
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