The United States government announced this Wednesday (8) a new Health Corps of the Americas to train 500,000 health professionals in the region in partnership with PAHO (Pan American Health Organization), after the Covid-19 pandemic. 19.
The health training will cost US$ 100 million (R$ 489 million), of which Washington will pay a part.
It is primarily about “providing more advanced skills to existing health professionals (…) in the realm of research, service delivery and, to some extent, public health administration,” explained a government source who requested anonymity. during a conference call.
The Health Corps will function as a consortium and partner with academic institutions in the United States and throughout the region to build on and expand existing capacity building programs from the United States government and PAHO, the regional office for the Americas of the WHO (Organization World Health).
Covid-19 had a devastating effect on Latin America and the Caribbean, with more than 2.7 million deaths, which represents more than 40% of the fatal victims recorded on the planet – the WHO believes that the real number is even higher.
The pandemic “has shown us the many cracks in our global health systems and highlighted the importance of strong and resilient health systems,” reads a White House statement.
China took advantage of the context of the pandemic to gain influence in a region where it has become the first or second trading partner for many countries. Beijing also distributed anti-Covid vaccines.
Cuba also sent doctors to work abroad, which angered the government of former US President Donald Trump, which reacted by suspending PAHO funding for alleged links to this practice.
The White House made the announcement a few hours before President Joe Biden gave a speech at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, a meeting marked by controversy due to the absence of several heads of state, such as Mexico’s, in protest against the exclusion of rulers of Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.
I have over 8 years of experience in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have also written for a few news agencies. I mostly cover healthcare news, but I am also interested in other topics such as politics, business, and entertainment. In my free time, I enjoy writing fiction and spending time with my family and friends.
