On 5 June 2025, Access Partnership hosted a closed-door roundtable exploring how multilateral development banks (MDBs) can help build sustainable, inclusive health systems across Latin America.
The session was opened by Dr Javier Guzman, Division Chief for Health, Nutrition and Population at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), who offered reflections on the challenges facing health systems and emerging opportunities across the region. We also had the active engagement of Lou Valdez, Deputy Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and her team.
The event brought together stakeholders from the public and private under the Chatham House Rule, allowing for an open and constructive exchange.
Key themes included:
A shifting development finance landscape
Health expenditure in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) across the region has remained largely stagnant since 2019. At the same time, competing demands from other social sectors like education are placing further pressure on limited budgets, significantly constraining investment in health. However, there are still opportunities to rethink and improve how funding, efficiency, and service delivery are approached.
Efficiency, sustainability and smarter financing
A core theme of the discussion was the need to do more with less by improving the efficiency and sustainability of health financing. Participants explored the potential of innovative mechanisms – including debt-for-health swaps and health-linked bonds – to unlock new funding streams. It is essential to align health priorities with the agendas of Ministries of Finance to secure long-term investment and scale impact.
Regional cooperation and digital health initiatives
The roundtable highlighted two key initiatives co-led by the IDB and PAHO:
- The PAHO–IDB Digital Highway for Health aims to create a regional digital health framework that supports the portability of electronic medical records and enables the development of digital vaccine cards, particularly for migrants.
- The Alliance for Primary Health Care seeks to strengthen national health systems by combining PAHO’s technical expertise with the IDB’s financing capabilities, with early support from countries such as Chile and the Dominican Republic.
Regulatory alignment and innovation
Participants stressed the need to harmonise regulatory frameworks across Latin American countries to speed up digital health implementation. There was interest in expanding the PAHO Revolving Fund to provide better support for local manufacturers across the region. The group agreed that the private sector should be engaged earlier and more systematically in conversations around innovation, particularly in primary care.
Policy momentum and upcoming platforms
Participants emphasised the importance of using upcoming regional and global policy platforms, such as Americas RISE for Health, the Summit of the Americas and the UN High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), to push forward shared priorities. With foreign assistance in decline, these forums represent critical moments to elevate the economic case for health, mobilise investment, and advance regulatory reform.
Closing remarks
As health systems across Latin America face mounting pressure from constrained budgets, demographic change and rising demand, multilateral development banks are uniquely positioned to help governments and industry work together toward more resilient, inclusive healthcare. The roundtable highlighted clear opportunities for smarter financing, stronger public-private coordination and more regionally aligned innovation – but sustained political will and cross-sector engagement will be key to moving from dialogue to delivery.
At Access Partnership, we help clients navigate complex policy environments and identify strategic opportunities for collaboration with public and multilateral stakeholders. If your organisation is working to support healthcare transformation in the Americas, get in touch to find out how we can help.
