Social innovation as a pathway for health equity. Meeting report. 31 October – 2 November 2023, Washington, D.C

Abstract

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) hosted the “Social Innovation as a Pathway for Health Equity” meeting from 31 October to 2 November 2023. This meeting brought together social innovators in health recognized by the Social Innovation in Health Initiative in Latin America and the Caribbean (SIHI-LAC), actors from various PAHO entities, and other potential key actors to form strategic alliances. The meeting was convened by PAHO through the departments of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health (EIH) and Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity (DHE) in coordination with Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM) and the Antonio Vidal Institute of Infectious Diseases and Parasitology as part of the SIHI-LAC program. While PAHO led the organization of the meeting, the SIHI-LAC Hub and participating social innovators contributed to developing the agenda and methodology. The meeting created spaces for dialogue between social innovators, SIHI-LAC Hub, PAHO, and current sponsors and potential allies for participating in social innovations. It significantly contributed to identifying needs and opportunities for social innovations in health, preparing the ground to influence public policy, advancing knowledge exchange, and discussing a framework to institutionalize social innovation in PAHO Member States and the Pan American Sanitary Bureau. Innovators also had the chance to present their initiatives within two critical components aligned with PAHO’s objectives and lines of action: sustainability and health equity. The event at PAHO Headquarters was the culmination of months of preparation with participating stakeholders.