Pan American Health Organization Response to COVID-19 2022. Summary Report on US Government Funding Allocated under the American Rescue Plan Act

Abstract

In response to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Regional COVID‑19 Response Strategy and Donor Appeal, the United States (US) Government, through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), provided US$ 75 million to help countries in Latin America and the Caribbean continue to scale up their responses to the pandemic and its wide‑ranging impacts. This summary report of the 2022 COVID‑19 response documents the activities and key results this generous contribution has funded. Since the start of the pandemic, PAHO’s response to COVID‑19 has been grounded in the principles of engaging and empowering all of society and every arm of government through community‑centered solutions, underpinned by the principles of equity and inclusiveness, with communities at the heart. However, as 2022 got underway, the quick‑wins that propelled the initial vaccination roll out were overtaken by more complicated implementation challenges. Priority issues during this period included: how to reach vulnerable groups with historically poor access to health services; how to address the challenges of migration and cross‑border movements; and how to mitigate against the backslide in health indicators resulting from decreased access to other essential health services. The achievements described in this report demonstrate that, by supporting PAHO to maintain the momentum of its COVID‑19 response into its third year, the US Government’s valuable fi nancial assistance has put the Region on track to build back stronger and more resilient health systems. Going forward, PAHO is committed to supporting all Member States, and the Region as a whole, to capitalize on lessons learned from the pandemic and to succeed in delivering a sustainable post‑pandemic recovery.