KINGSTON – Jamaica’s Health & Wellness Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton will serve as president of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) directing council meeting early next week.
He will lead the 59th meeting of the 35 PAHO member states and a statement issued said this meeting is timely and of great significance as countries around the world continue to combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and reinforce the resilience of their healthcare systems.
The council will meet from September 20 to 24 in Washington to consider matters, including a roadmap for the digital transformation of the health sector in the Americas, a comprehensive approach for addressing health threats at the human-animal-environment interface and reinvigorating immunisation as a public good for universal health.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie will also travel to Washington with Tufton, while the Permanent Secretary Dunstan Bryan and other senior officials of the Ministry of Health & Wellness join the session virtually.
Additionally, Jamaica was expected to vie for a position on the executive committee to serve for the 2021 to 2024 term.
The PAHO directing council is responsible for setting the organisation’s policies and priorities for technical cooperation, as well as discussing matters of public health significance and agreeing on the way forward for the region.
(CMC)
