It is almost 3 years since COVID-19 began to spread, causing one of the most massive global disruptions of modern times. But it also spurred changes that hold the key to better health and better healthcare services in the future. Every aspect of the healthcare system, from basic research to vaccine distribution, from community outreach to intensive care units, … [Read more...] about COVID-19 Showed Us the Path toward Universal Health Coverage
Which is the best country to get older in Latin America and the Caribbean?
If you are 65 years old in Panama, you can expect to live 14 additional years in good health and free of poverty. This is 9 years more than in Honduras, and 4 years above the average for Latin American and Caribbean countries. In a recent study, we calculate this measure of older persons’ quality of life for all the countries of the region. See how your country compares to the … [Read more...] about Which is the best country to get older in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Promoting Women’s Development in Digital Health
Globally, women make up 70% of the workforce in the health and social care sector. However, only 25% of women occupy leadership positions. In addition, the gender pay gap in the healthcare sector is 26%, higher than the average for other sectors (16%). It is estimated that almost $160 trillion is lost globally due to gender differences in earnings between men and … [Read more...] about Promoting Women’s Development in Digital Health
Can We Do Better than Normal for Health?
In the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic it is easy to both remain stunned by the pandemic’s impact and long for some kind of normalcy. That is certainly true for health systems in Latin America and the Caribbean, which were hit hard and are struggling to recover. But what should recovery look like? While it is tempting to be nostalgic about pre-pandemic times, those were … [Read more...] about Can We Do Better than Normal for Health?
Can We Afford a Healthy Future?
In the early 1960s, when United States healthcare expenses reached 3% of GDP, members of the U.S. Congress were so outraged that they held hearings to address such an unsustainable level of spending. The passing years have shown that 3% was not only sustainable, it was cheap. Today, healthcare spending in the United States is over 17% of GDP. The countries of … [Read more...] about Can We Afford a Healthy Future?