- Establishes the policies and strategy of the Organization.
- Manages the Secretariat and oversees the country offices and country representatives, the Caribbean Program Coordination (CPC) and the Field Office in El Paso, as well as the offices of the Deputy Director, of the Assistant Director, of the Director of Program Management and the Director of Administration.
The office of the Director includes two units: Chief of Staff and Country Support.
Closed Window
- Serves as a communication and policy liaison between the Director’s Office, the Executive Management Offices, Country Offices, CPC and FEP.
- Secretariat of the Executive Management Meetings.
- Manages the Director’s agenda and scheduling.
- Coordinates briefings for the Director.
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- Supports the Office of the Director in the political, managerial and technical aspects of PAHO’s country operations.
- Facilitates, reviews, analyzes and provides recommendations to the Executive Management Committee on issues of pertinence to technical cooperation at the country level.
- Provides support to the development of country presence of the Organization.
- Coordinates sub-regional initiatives and the relationship with sub-regional integration bodies.
- Provides guidance, support to implementation and evaluates projects of technical cooperation among countries.
- Ensures policy coherence of country programs with other programs of the Organization.
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- Acts for the Director, is a member of Executive Management and represents the Organization in the absence of the Director.
- Serves as Secretary to the Governing Bodies.
- Oversees official relations with the United States Government, including the Congress and Departments of the Administration.
The Office of the Deputy Director includes four Areas: Health Analysis and Information Systems (AIS), Information and Knowledge Management (IKM), Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief (PED), and Public Information (PIN). In addition, the Office oversees
the Organization’s work involving Internal Audit Unit (IA), and the Ombudsman
Unit (OMB).
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- Assists staff members individually or collectively with problems or grievances relating to conditions of employment, working conditions, and relations with supervisors and colleagues in a manner that contributes to an improvement in the overall working environment in the Organization
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- Ensures maintenance of the internal financial controls in the Organization, safeguarding the proper receipt, deposit, and disbursement of all funds and other resources of PAHO/WHO.
- Examines financial operations to ensure that the commitments, obligations, and expenditures related to budget allocations or other financial authorizations conform to the established objectives, regulations, and other provisions.
Closed Window
This area and its sub-regional offices in Barbados, Costa Rica and Ecuador:
- Provides cooperation for improving the countries’ technical and institutional capabilities to prepare for or reduce the damage caused by disasters.
- Coordinates PAHO’s response to emergencies and humanitarian assistance in the health sector.
- Assists governments and other institutions in the appropriate management of disaster information.
- Supports the production of relevant knowledge for public health, promotion of equitable access of knowledge and information for decision making.
- Networks with external agencies and areas within the Organization, fostering the sharing of tacit and explicit knowledge, the promotion of synergy between data and information processing technologies and the creative and innovative capacity of staff as a basis for a knowledge based Organization.
The Area is comprised of five units: BIOETHICS, BIREME, Headquarters Library, Research Coordination, and Web/Intranet.
- Coordinates and supports the Latin American and Caribbean System of Health Sciences Information, which includes national and PAHO/WHO documentation centers, and other specialized networks.
- Develops and promotes the use of tools for technical databases.
- Supports training and research activities in countries for the development of the database known as LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences) and the Virtual Health Library (VHL), for managing health science information in the Region.
- Promotes and supports activities related to the ethical assessment of results from biomedical and psychosocial research, health care and general or professional education, and to the academic and applied development of health-related disciplines from the
standpoint of bioethical methods and procedures.
- Develops networks for the strengthening of research, teaching, and public communication.
- Cooperates with the countries of the Region to strengthen their health research systems and capabilities for the production of knowledge on relevant public health problems.
- Supports National Research Councils and Research Units of the Ministries of Health on the management of the scientific activity in health, including the definition of research
agendas, promotion of research networks, mobilization of resources, dissemination/utilization of research results and evaluation of impact of scientific production.
- Supports research projects and research training activities through the Research Grants Program, the coordination of Research Advisory Committees, the designation, follow-up, and evaluation of PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centers and the coordination of research related
activities promoted by PAHO/WHO technical programs.
- Contributes to the Organization’s goal of equitable dissemination of information and knowledge, particularly generated by PAHO/WHO.
- Provides services that enable efficient access to knowledge and information, with emphasis on virtual services, by preserving the institutional memory of the Organization, and by
channeling the flow of information between external and internal producers and
users in response to specific needs of appropriate, validated, and timely
information.
- Works with all PAHO organizational Units towards enhancing capabilities to increase access and to maximize the use of Internet-based services for the sharing of information and knowledge.
- Establishes the necessary infrastructure to enable communication among creators, reviewers, publishers, distributors, and consumer of PAHO products.
- Proposes, develops, and maintains systems and tools for the monitoring and quality control of all content.
- Provides materials, orientation, and training relating to corporate procedures and standards for electronic publishing.
- Assumes the main responsibility for the public relations function in PAHO.
- Serves as the link between PAHO and the general public, as well as specialized audiences.
- Creates and coordinates communications plans and strategies to promote public health projects and programs.
- Works with the media, issues news releases, sets up press interviews and publishes and produces materials about PAHO.
- Produces multimedia materials incorporating high-level graphics, video public service announcements, documentaries and radio programs.
- Provides media training and coordinates PAHO's Speakers Bureau.
- Strengthens the general epidemiological capacity of Member States and of the Bureau to analyze, utilize, and disseminate information on health situation and trends for the
planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health policies and
programs.
- Provides technical cooperation for the reorganization and functioning of epidemiological and statistical services and health information systems to improve the production and effective use of health information and vital statistics.
- Promotes the establishment of integrated networks on health information, including the development of the core health data systems and coordination of health services information
systems in the Member States and in PAHO/WHO’s programs and field offices.
- Develops methodologies, norms, training programs, and standards for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and information, including assessing and monitoring
inequities, health trends and the impact of health related interventions.
- Member of Executive Management.
- Ensures that program plans and budgets of the four areas are prepared and executed according to organizational procedures and that coordination among the four Areas is optimal.
- Promotes collaboration with Areas and Units in other Offices and with entities outside PAHO.
- Provides strategic guidance for the development of public health interventions at regional and country level and ensures their consistency with global mandates.
The Office of the Assistant Director includes four Areas: Family and Community Health (FCH), Disease Prevention and Control (DCP), Sustainable Development and Environmental Health (SDE), and Technology and Health Services Delivery (THS).
- Promotes, coordinates and implements technical cooperation activities that emphasize the central role of family and the community to foster a culture of health promotion and protection where health becomes a social value.
- Focuses on key stages of human growth and development -- infancy, childhood, and adolescence--, sexual behavior and reproductive health.
- Supports countries, in collaboration with national and international partners, in identifying, developing, implementing and evaluating evidenced-based approaches, which are
mutually reinforcing and cover the whole spectrum from critical child survival
actions, to healthy growth and development into adulthood.
- Seeks to coordinate synergistic actions among its units, and other units within PAHO, to address existing health gaps and future needs of the Region’s most vulnerable and hard to reach population groups, by means of strengthened country capabilities, normative,
policy and legislative guidance, community participation, the promotion of
healthy policies, social and resource mobilization, inter-agency collaboration,
advocacy, and the development of sustainable and equitable interventions.
The Family and Community Health (FCH) Area is comprised of seven units: Child and Adolescent Health (CA); HIV/AIDS (AI); Immunization (IM); Nutrition (NU); Women and Maternal Health (WM); the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI); and the Latin American Center for Perinatology and Human Development (CLAP).
- Promotes the design of effective
integrated approaches, such as the IMCI strategy for child and adolescent care;
and strengthens the capacities of countries for their adaptation, practical
implementation, expansion and evaluation, to reduce mortality and morbidity, as
well as improve children’s and adolescent growth and development.
- Implements health promotion strategies, preventive interventions, with the active collaboration of the private, public, non-governmental, community networks, and social security
sectors, strong family and community participation, and enhanced intersectorial
partnerships.
- Promotes a gender, family and
community perspective, and uses cost-effective, evidenced-based interventions
to strengthen the delivery of integrated and holistic care that addresses the
health needs of women and mothers throughout their life cycle.
- Seeks to improve the sexual and
reproductive health and rights of women and men.
- Develops and promotes strategies
and interventions, involving partners and coalitions of regional, national and
local networks of stakeholders, to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality and
morbidity.
- Provides support to CLAP on issues
related to policy development, resource mobilization, risk analysis and study
design on women and maternal health
- Supports country efforts in
improving the development and implementation of maternal perinatal and infant
health programs.
- Provides epidemiological
surveillance, development and dissemination of best health care practices;
clinical, epidemiological and health services research; and training of health
professionals in management of health information, evidence-based clinical
practice and research methodology.
- Promotes the central role of optimal nutrition, diet, and physical activity throughout the life cycle, to strengthen commitment to sustained health, and social and economic development.
- Promotes healthy eating and active living behaviors, optimal breast feeding and complementary feeding practices, adequate access to quality foods for infants and young children, and optimal micronutrient nutrition through fortification, supplementation and dietary
diversity.
- Advocates for nutrition to be a central component of regional, national and local public health policies and programs.
3.1.5 Immunizations Unit (FCH/IM)
- Promotes and coordinates technical
cooperation and partnerships with the private and public sectors and the
international community in support of countries’ efforts to achieve sustainable
and equitable reduction of morbidity and mortality of vaccine-preventable
diseases through control and elimination strategies.
- Assists countries in improving the
performance of vaccination and surveillance programs and regional laboratory
networks, as well as enhances country laboratory diagnostic capabilities.
- Promotes the political priority
and sustainability of vaccination programs through policy and legislation.
- Generates critical epidemiological
data on disease burden and cost-effectiveness of interventions for decision
making regarding current vaccination programs and new vaccine introductions.
- Ensures the orderly supply of
quality vaccines through the PAHO Revolving Fund for Vaccine Procurement.
3.1.6 HIV/AIDS Unit (FCH/AI)
- Enhances national capabilities to
implement HIV/AIDS prevention and comprehensive care interventions that ensure
effective protection against infection among the most relevant population
groups.
- Promotes the scaling up of health
systems to improve overall conditions and survival of affected individuals with
HIV/AIDS.
- Provides critical information on
HIV/AIDS and epidemiological data for decision making.
- Advocates for the elimination of
all forms of discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS and members of
vulnerable groups, using a public health and human rights perspective.
- Supports country efforts in
improving surveillance and control programs for sexually transmitted
infections; and promotes a broad intersectoral response.
3.1.7 Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI)
- Builds capacity in its Caribbean Member
countries and territories to combat nutrition-related problems by promoting
optimal nutrition and healthy lifestyle behaviors through the development and
utilization of multi-sectoral policies, plans and programs, multi-disciplinary
alliances and public-private partnerships.
- Promotes and applies qualitativeand quantitative research; and monitors food and nutrition insecurity and inequity among families and communities
- Promotes, coordinates, and implements technical cooperation activities that are technically sound and
appropriate for the culture and society directed to the prevention, control,
and elimination of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
- Strives to achieve sustainable
impact through strengthened country capacity and effective inter-country
collaboration.
The Area of Disease Prevention and Control is comprised of six units: Non-communicable Diseases (NC), Communicable Diseases (CD), Veterinary Public Health (VP); Caribbean
Epidemiology Center (CAREC), Pan American Institute for Food Protection and
Zoonoses (INPPAZ), and the Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Center
(PANAFTOSA).
3.2.1 Communicable Diseases Unit (DPC/CD)
- Strengthens national capacities for managing information; human and material resources to prevent, control and eliminate tropical diseases, infectious diseases, emerging and re-emerging diseases; and fosters operational research for the control of communicable diseases.
- Improves national and regional disease surveillance and response, including the application of new techniques and the detection and reporting of antibiotic resistance.
- Supports the introduction of the new International Health Regulations.
3.2.2 Non-Communicable Diseases Unit (DPC/NC)
- Strengthens national capacities to develop efficient policies, strategies, and local population-based models to prevent and control non-communicable diseases (NCD) with a public health perspective, with special emphasis on those that represent a high burden and are preventable, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cervical cancer.
- Leads a regional network, for
putting into practice an integrated approach to prevention of non-communicable
diseases.
- Conducts and supports operational research to evaluate the implementation and cost-effectiveness of interventions and programs.
- Provides technical support and mobilizes resources to address issues related to the care of persons with chronic conditions.
3.2.3 Veterinary Public Health Unit (DPC/VP)
- Strengthens partnerships between health and agriculture and establishes strategic alliances with international and national organizations related with Veterinary Public Health (VPH).
- Provides support to PANAFTOSA and INPPAZ on issues related to policy development, resource mobilization, risk analysis, and study design on zoonoses, food safety and foot-and-mouth disease.
- Promotes the conservation of Neotropical primates and the development of biomedical models for human disease and vaccine development.
- Supports and advises on the implementation of the resolutions of the
Codex Alimentarius, phytosanitary agreements, and the zoosanitary code.
3.2.4 Pan American Institute for Food Protection and Zoonoses (INPPAZ)
- Strengthens national capacities in the area of food safety.
- Improves surveillance systems and laboratory networks for food borne disease.
- Improves regional networks to support food safety.
- Promotes and supports the participation of PAHO Member States in Codex Alimentarius activities.
3.2.5 Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Center (PANAFTOSA)
- Strengthens national capacities to
prevent foot-and-mouth disease in countries that are free of the disease and to
expand eradication zones in South America.
- Strengthens national capacities to
address zoonoses of public health importance, such as rabies transmitted by
dogs, cysticercosis, hydatidosis, bovine tuberculosis, and brucellosis, among
others.
- Improves surveillance systems and
develops laboratory networks for the prevention and control of zoonoses.
3.2.6 Caribbean Epidemiology Center (CAREC)
Provides support to its Caribbean Member countries and territories in the following
areas:
- Develops institutional capacity
for disease surveillance and assessment of the health status of the population
in the Caribbean, aimed at supporting the countries in the implementation of
public health interventions.
- Provides reference services in
microbiology and immunology as well as strengthening of national laboratories
in the Caribbean.
- Contributes to the strengthening of national health capacities to address the challenge HIV/AIDS.
- Designs and implements technical cooperation to address the relationship between health conditions and the physical and psychosocial environment for attaining human security.
- Supports countries in the design and implementation of intersectoral approaches focusing on the relationship between health and sustainable development.
The Area of Sustainable Development and Environmental Health is comprised of five units: Local and Urban Development (LU); Risk Assessment and Management (RA); Healthy Settings
(HS); Pan American Center for Sanitary Engineering and Environmental Science
(CEPIS), and the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP).
Local and Urban Development Unit (SDE/LU)
- Promotes health as an essential
element to assess and drive the sustainability of the development of local
communities and cities (including metropolis).
- Develops participative
methodologies to analyze, identify, and promote effective health interventions
that positively affect the determinants of health in these environments.
- Supports country efforts in the
development of affordable and sustainable water and sanitation services.
Risk Assessment and Management Unit (SDE/RA)
- Strengthens environmental health
institutions to perform health surveillance, adopt adequate regulations and
promote public health interventions that will help prevent health hazards.
- Promotes the use of risk
assessment and risk management concepts to guide technical cooperation
activities.
- Develops institutional capacity
for the promotion of risk management, including tobacco use prevention, providing
the necessary elements to influence other sectors responsible for reducing
risks that can damage health.
Healthy Setting Unit (SDE/HS)
- Promotes the design and implementation
of health promotion strategies as a collective intervention to achieve healthy
settings.
- Provides technical cooperation that
embodies the application of methodologies and models of healthy spaces such as
healthy municipalities, healthy communities, healthy workplaces, and healthy
schools with a view to prevent and minimize risks, including intentional and
unintentional injuries.
Pan American Center for Sanitary
Engineering and Environmental Sciences (CEPIS)
- Provides regional technical
cooperation on basic sanitation with a view to strengthen national institutions
and build capacity in the management of health aspects related to water supply
for human consumption, sanitary excreta and solid waste disposal, with an
emphasis on PAHO priority countries and the most susceptible populations.
- Leads collaborative efforts and
establishes networks among collaborating partners and relevant stakeholders,
centering actions on the identification, development, adaptation and
dissemination of concepts, methods, tools and experiences applicable to the
promotion of studies and technologies that can ensure the best possible basic
sanitation conditions.
Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP)
- Strengthens national capacities of its member countries to implement the food and nutrition security initiative as an essential strategy for human sustainable development.
- Promotes the local integrated community development approach and helps develop and disseminate knowledge, methods, technologies and models for achieving an optimal food and nutritional situation.
- Promotes, coordinates and
implements technical cooperation activities aimed at strengthening national
capabilities to develop and organize appropriate and accessible health
services, specialized programs, and health technologies and to provide
essential medicines, vaccines, laboratory services and safe blood.
The Area of Technology and
Health Services Delivery is comprised of three units: Health Services
Organization (OS), Mental Health and Specialized Programs (MH); and Essential
Medicines, Vaccines and Health Technologies (EV).
Health Services Organization Unit (THS/OS)
- Promotes and strengthens the
development of national capacities for organization and management of health
services delivery systems.
- Promotes the furthering of the
strategy of primary health care and monitors and evaluates its application in
the countries of the Region.
- Supports the development of
institutional capacity for the integrated management of health services
networks.
- Supports the development of
competencies in the areas of ambulatory and hospital management.
- Provides guidelines for the
organization and development of imaging, radioprotection, and radiotherapy
services.
- Strengthens national institutions
to develop programs for the planning, operation, maintenance, and renovation of
the physical and technology infrastructure.
- Develops national, subregional,
and regional capacity for incorporating and assessing health technologies,
especially those related to the information needs of the health services.
- Promotes and supports the
development of national quality assurance programs for health services; and
promotes and redirects health care services models to incorporate elements of
promotion and prevention aimed at improving health care.
- Supports the development of programs and services for oral health, ocular health, and health of indigenous people.
Mental Health and Specialized Programs (THS/MH)
- Strengthens the capacities of countries to develop policies, models and plans contributing to the improvement and reorganization of mental health services to control the use of alcohol and other addicting drugs.
- Strengthens institutional development to ensure that older persons have access to an integrated system of health and social services and health challenges related to the aging process are addressed.
- Promotes the protection of rights of the elderly, people with disabilities and people with mental disorders.
- Strengthens national capacities to prevent disabilities and provide rehabilitation to those in need.
- Advocates equal opportunities for people with disabilities.
- Supports the development of a sustainable response to landmine victims.
Essential Medicines, Vaccines and Health Technologies Unit (THS/EV)
- Strengthens national and regional
capacities to develop policies, norms and strategies to improve accessibility,
rational use, and regulation of essential medicines, vaccines, and laboratory
and blood transfusion services of quality promoting efficacy and safety
standards.
- Supports and strengthens the
public health laboratory networks and promotes the development of surveillance
systems to monitor the use of medicines, vaccines and blood.
- Strengthens national capacities to
develop policies and strategies to regulate and supply essential drugs as well
as to develop efficient pharmaceutical services.
- Improves national and subregional
capacity for regulation, harmonization, and evaluation of the efficacy and
security of drugs, medical supplies, and equipment.
- Supports the establishment of
public health laboratory networks and the development and strengthening of
blood banks and transfusion services.
- Supports subregional and regional
mechanisms for the regulation and harmonization of vaccine production and
promotes the adoption of vaccine safety standards.
- Promotes research and development
of vaccines, in collaboration with public sector laboratories, ensuring that
local vaccine production is economically and technically viable and adheres to
good manufacturing practices, as well as national and international norms and
standards.
- Fosters the establishment of a
consortium of laboratories that produce vaccines; the adoption of good manufacturing
practices; and the regional certification process for vaccine producers.
- Member of Executive Management.
- The Office of Administration is comprised of six areas: Human Resources Management (HRM); Financial Management and Reporting (FMR); General Services and Procurement (GSP);
Publications (PUB); Legal Affairs (LEG); and Information Technology Services
(ITS). In addition the office oversees the unit of country administrative
support (CAS).
Unit of Country Administrative Support (AM/CAS)
- Provides administrative oversight
and coordination for PAHO’s country offices and centers.
- Advises the Director of
Administration on administrative issues in the country offices and centers.
- Promotes, in collaboration with
D/CSU, efficient and effective technical cooperation in the field in accordance
with PAHO mandates.
- Ensures that country office
administration policies and regulations are adhered to.
- Monitors, evaluates and provides
support to country office administrative practice.
- Responsible for the staff of the Organization.
- Provides services and advice to
management and staff on all human resource issues, including recruitment,
compensation and benefits, job classification, training and development and
employee welfare.
- Ensures the proper application of
the staff regulations and rules and develops new HR policies, programs and
procedures in order to achieve the objectives and goals of the Organization.
- Oversees the financial
transactions of the Organization by establishing its financial regulations and
rules, as well as the accounting policies and procedures.
- Processes the disbursements of funds.
- Prepares the financial statements of the Organization including the reporting of regular funds and extra-budgetary funds.
- Monitors the inflow of funding and utilization of these resources; and is responsible for investments and banking, financial analysis, the monitoring of the field offices’ financial administration, Staff Health Insurance, and the processes and systems involved within FMR’s area of responsibility.
- Provides conference, translation,
procurement, building, and office services at Headquarters in support of
PAHO/WHO programs; general supervision of acquisition and maintenance of all
PAHO/WHO premises at Headquarter and in the field; in the case of procurement,
these services are extensive to Member Governments and other Regions of WHO.
- Develops administrative norms and
guidelines related to the world-wide procurement of goods and services, and is
responsible for shipment of material to their final consignees, management of
communications and mail, building maintenance, inventories, office supplies and
equipment, transportation, security and safety, and reproduction.
- Serves as security focal point for PAHO within the UN security system.
4.4 Publications (PUB)
- Specializes in publishing health information
in print and electronic formats.
- Selects relevant material in
collaboration with experts, applies rigorous professional standards in editing,
production, and design, and ensures dissemination of accurate and timely
scientific knowledge throughout the Americas and beyond.
4.5 Legal Affairs (LEG)
- Provides advice and legal counsel
to PAHO/WHO’s Governing Bodies, the Director’s Office, the offices of DD, AD,
AM and DPM, PAHO/WHO representatives (PWRs), CPC, FEP Center Directors in all
legal matters, including the application of national and international law to
the Organization’s programs and activities as well as constitutional,
administrative, and procedural matters.
- Drafts, reviews, and/or negotiates contracts, treaties, agreements, resolutions, and any other type of instrument which has legal implications for the Organization.
- Represents and defends the Organization before the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labor Organization and other national or international judicial and quasi-judicial fora.
4.6. Information Technology Services (ITS)
- Recommends appropriate information
and communication technology strategies to PAHO management; establishes and
oversees the Organization’s information and communication technology standards.
- Maintains the corporate computing
and communications infrastructure in both Headquarters and field offices.
- Develops and maintains all
corporate software application and communications systems.
- Maintains a central repository of the corporate data.
- Provides end user support in the
use of technology and the PAHO corporate systems.
- Assists PAHO offices in selecting
and procuring appropriate information technology.
- Member of Executive Management.
- Responsible for the operation of the Governing Bodies, the development of the corporate policy, the advancement of strategies for partnerships and resource mobilization; the planning, monitoring and evaluation of technical cooperation, the strategic and operational aspects of budgeting, the support to project preparation and
management, and the development of technical cooperation at regional and country level in the areas of health policies, health systems and human resources.
- Ensures program coordination and sound program management at all levels of the Organization.
- Promotes the design and implementation strategies for Regional Programs and Pan American Initiatives.
- Oversees inter regional collaboration; articulates normative functions and technical cooperation across global, regional, sub-regional and country levels of WHO and participates in the Global Program Management Group (GPMG).
The Office of the Director of Program Management is comprised of four Areas: Strategic Alliances and Partnerships (SAP), Governance and Policy (GPP), Planning, Program Budget and
Project Support (PPS), and Strategic Health Development (SHD).
5.1. Strategic Alliances and Partnerships (SAP)
- Coordinates the external relations of the Organization.
- Assesses the potential strategies for partnerships with key stakeholders from the international community (multilateral and bilateral organizations, civil society and NGOs) for advancing health development in the Americas.
- Works through participation in summits and other international and regional forums, to influence policy making in order to improve the international environment for health development.
- Facilitates PAHO’s interaction with the external partners for mobilizing financial, human, technical, and institutional resources from the international community at large for country and regional technical cooperation priorities.
- Provides support in–house as well as to countries in the areas of partnerships, strategic alliances and resource mobilization.
- Strengthens the relationships with the Inter-American System, the United Nations System, international financial institutions, multilateral agencies, bilateral cooperation agencies, and civil society organizations, in promoting partnerships and
common agendas to advance health in the Western Hemisphere.
5.2. Governance and Policy (GPP)
- Devoted to the strategic analysis of
national, regional and global trends in health development, the assessment of
the impact of health and development policies of the international community
and the formulation of corporate policy taking into account the Millennium
Development Goals, and Global and Regional Summits and Mandates.
- Ensures the operations of the PAHO
Governing Bodies and promotes and supports the institutional development of the
Organization, within the context of the UN and the Inter-American Systems.
This Area has two Units: the Policy and Governance Unit (PG) and the Gender and Health Unit (GH).
Policy and Governance Unit (GPP/PG)
- Analyzes national, regional and global trends in support to corporate policy making.
- Supports PAHO’s Governing Bodies, in terms of planning, organization, documentation, records, communications to Member States, web page maintenance, database of elected officers, and Director’s briefing on the WHA.
- Assesses national and international health priorities related poverty reduction, globalization, health development, and health governance as an input for the formulation of
PAHO’s corporate policy.
- Promotes and supporting the institutional development of PAHO within the context of the United Nations reform and the framework of the Inter-American System.
- Collaborates with civil society and international agencies to mainstream, monitor and evaluate the development of PAHO’s corporate policies addressing macro-determinants of health inequities at regional and country levels.
Gender and Health Unit (GPP/GH)
- Strengthens regional, national and local capacities for producing and utilizing information about gender inequities in health and development.
- Creates intersectorial networks and alliances, with participation of civil society, for influence the formulation and monitoring of policies aiming at gender equity in health and
development.
- Promotes health care models involving the participation of interested stakeholders at local, national and sectoral levels.
- Facilitates the access to information about gender, health and development for promoting connectivity, capacity and advocacy.
- Coordinates and supports the process of implementation and monitoring of gender policies at PAHO.
5.3. Planning, Program Budget and Project Support (PPS)
- Coordinates an ongoing planning
process to ensure that the Secretariat’s work remains relevant to the countries
and partners.
- Ensures that the mandates of the
Governing Bodies and relevant international fora, the policies and plans of the
Secretariat are addressed in the development of the Biennial Program Budget
(BPB) and all extra-budgetary projects.
- Supports the project cycle
(identification, design, piloting, negotiation, execution and evaluation of
projects) within the Secretariat and in countries, in order to increase access
to Extra-budgetary Funds (EB) and to mobilize resources in support to countries
and to improve the effectiveness and efficiency all projects executed,
regardless of the source of funds.
- Contributes to the organizational
learning through sharing of lessons learned from different types of evaluations
conducted at all levels of the Secretariat.
This Area has 2 Units: the Program Budget Unit (PB) and the Project Support Unit (PS).
Program Budget Unit (PPS/PB)
- Coordinates proactive and ongoing
strategic planning process to ensure that the Secretariat’s program of work
addresses the emerging regional trends and contributes to the development of
Country Cooperation Strategies (CCS).
- Coordinates the process for the
preparation and analysis of the projects proposals for the Biennial Program
Budgets to ensure alignment of program and resources with the corporate
priorities.
- Coordinates the process of
monitoring the programmatic and budgetary execution of the BPB to ensure
effective and efficient use of resources.
- Develops, coordinates, and where
appropriate, executes an evaluation agenda to determine the impact, relevance
or efficiency of the programs, projects or selected organizational themes, and
identifies and shares lessons learned.
- Develops and executes program for
building capacity in evaluation in the countries and Secretariat.
- Develops budget strategies and
operationalizes budget allocations for all PAHO organizational units.
Project Support Unit (PPS/PS)
- Collaborates with countries and partners in the development and implementation of health projects, including investment projects, which facilitate the achievement of the national policy goals.
- Facilitates development of Investment Master Plans based on health and health related sector analyses.
- Consolidates and develop methodologies for project design, appraisal, management and monitoring.
- Coordinates the project approval process, and monitors the execution of approved projects, including compliance with partners’ requirements.
- Develops and executes programs to
build capacity in project development and management in the countries and in
the Secretariat.
5.4. Strategic Health Development (SHD)
- Promotes, coordinates, executes
and evaluates technical cooperation activities oriented to the strengthening of
national capabilities in the development and implementation of public health
policies.
- Promotes the transformation,
development, and performance improvement of health systems; and the
comprehensive and equitable development of human resources to make possible the
universal access to social protection in health and to quality health care.
- Ensures that policies, human
resources, institutions, systems and organizational capacities existing in the
countries are equitable, effective, efficient and sustainable for the
achievement of health for all.
This area has two Units: the Human Resources Development Unit (HR) and the Health Policies and Systems Unit (HP).
Human Resources Development Unit (SHD/HR)
- Supports the development of human
resources policies in health coherent with broader internationally agreed goals
and national health policies and objectives, in order to ensure the viability
and sustainability of equitable and effective health systems.
- Contributes to the development of institutional capacity in human resources management at all levels of the health system to provide a stable and facilitating environment that allows better motivated, prepared and performing staff to implement national health
policies.
- Promotes the adoption of in-service personnel development national policies consistent with health priorities, through well designed distance education programs using appropriate
communication technologies.
- Contributes to the redirection of health education institutions and programs towards a community-oriented approach and the strengthening of health systems based on primary health care.
- Promotes the development of a competent public health workforce, ensuring the optimal performance of essential public health functions and the strengthening of the public health
systems by the development of the Virtual Campus of Public Health.
- Promotes the institutional and individual leadership in global health (TPIH).
- Supports the development of current and future health professionals and technicians through the production and distribution of training materials (PALTEX), the dissemination of information on training opportunities and the management of fellowships.
Health Policies and Systems Unit (SHD/HP)
- Strengthens the capabilities of the countries for the sustainable development of processes of sectoral reform centered on the health of the population, the strengthening of the steering roles of the State with regard to Health, and the improvement of the
performance of the Essential Public Health Functions and their corresponding
infrastructure.
- Strengthens the national capabilities in the development, execution, and evaluation of public health policies; in the formulation of national health objectives; in political, economic and financial analysis; as well as in the development and effective utilization of
modern economic management tools and health social management.
- Promotes technical support to those countries particularly in the characterization of the disadvantaged in public health systems, and in the development of policies, projects, and interventions oriented to the extension of social protection in health and to
the reorganization and improvement of the operation of social security systems
with criteria for equity and sustainability.
- Strengthens the national institutions in development of frameworks and legal instruments for sustaining public policies and adequate development and operation of health care systems, insurance and financing.
- Develops an active system of dissemination of knowledge and information with regard to health sector reforms, economy, expenditure, and health financing, health legislation,
essential public health functions, social security, and public health policies.
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