Investment in health as a priority in Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Wed, September 30, 2026 • 7:30 am ET
  • Atlantic Council Headquarters
  • 1400 L Street MW • Floor 11
  • Washington, DC 20005

Public health authorities from Latin America and the Caribbean will discuss the importance of health investment in the region.

La descripción en español se encuentra a continuación

On Wednesday, September 30, at 7:30 a.m. ET, the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center brought together leading public health authorities from Latin America and the Caribbean alongside senior representatives from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the private sector to discuss the critical role of health investment in driving economic prosperity.

As Latin America and the Caribbean navigate an era of fiscal constraints and evolving public health demands, integrating smart finance into health ecosystems has become a prerequisite for sustainable development. Strengthening health systems is both a social imperative and a macroeconomic necessity to ensure labor productivity and long-term resilience.  

This event examines how strategic investments, multi-stakeholder partnerships, and innovative financing mechanisms can optimize health outcomes across the region. The discussion also explores how to bridge the gap between fiscal responsibility and the urgent need for technology-driven health infrastructure. 

Leer en español

El miércoles 30 de septiembre, a las 7:30 a. m. ET, el Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center del Atlantic Council reunirá a destacados líderes de salud pública de América Latina y el Caribe, junto con altos representantes de la OPS y del sector privado, para analizar el papel fundamental de la inversión en salud como motor de la prosperidad económica. Este evento público se centrará en cómo impulsar la productividad, fortalecer la competitividad y promover un crecimiento económico sostenible e inclusivo en toda la región.

A medida que América Latina y el Caribe atraviesan un período de restricciones fiscales y de evolución de las necesidades de salud pública, integrar mecanismos de financiamiento inteligente en los sistemas de salud se ha convertido en un requisito para el desarrollo sostenible. El fortalecimiento de los sistemas de salud ya no es únicamente un imperativo social, sino también una necesidad macroeconómica para garantizar la productividad laboral y la resiliencia a largo plazo.

El evento analizará cómo las inversiones estratégicas, las alianzas entre múltiples actores y los mecanismos innovadores de financiamiento pueden optimizar los resultados en materia de salud en toda la región. Al reunir a autoridades financieras, expertos en salud y líderes del sector privado, la conversación explorará cómo cerrar la brecha entre la responsabilidad fiscal y la necesidad urgente de contar con una infraestructura sanitaria sólida y basada en la tecnología.

Speakers

Agenda

7:30–7:35 a.m. | Welcome remarks

Speakers

Valentina Sader
Director, Strategy and Programs,
Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center,

Atlantic Council

Patrick Eckert
Area Head (Regional Director Latin America),
Roche Pharma;
Health as an Investment, Project Lead,
FIFARMA

7:35–8:05 a.m. | Prioritizing health as an investment in Latin America and the Caribbean

Speakers

Dr. Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr. MD
Director,
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)

H.E. Ana María Vesga Gaviria
Minister of Health and Social Protection, 
Republic of Colombia

Yaneth Giha
Executive Director,
FIFARMA

Moderated by

Enrique Millán-Mejía
Senior Fellow for Economic Development,
Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, 

Atlantic Council

8:05–8:35 a.m. | Panel: Practical ways to promote health as investment in the region

Speakers

Dr. Manuel Zambrano MD 
Deputy Minister of Health, 
Republic of Panama

Dr. Saúl Flores MD
Secretary of Public Health Management, Ministry of Health,  
Argentine Republic

Moderated by

Ramiro Guerrero-Carvajal, Ph.D
Former Deputy Minister of Health,
Republic of Colombia (2004-2007);
Dean, School of Government,
Universidad de los Andes

Stay connected

Supported by

Explore the program

The Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center broadens understanding of regional transformations and delivers constructive, results-oriented solutions to inform how the public and private sectors can advance hemispheric prosperity.

Atlantic Council TV

Watch this event and more content on ACTV

Follow the conversations shaping our world. Available on all major platforms.