Seminar on Universal health coverage as a mechanism to facilitate regional integration

introduction

SELA and the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS) organized the "Seminar on universal health coverage as a mechanism to facilitate regional integration". Universal health coverage and access are pending issues within the regional agenda and a priority of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The main objective of this seminar was to identify the opportunities and challenges of universal health coverage and access as mechanisms to advance regional integration and strengthen the social dimension of integration through the exchange of best practices and the identification of South-South Cooperation (CSS) opportunities in the health sector.

Final Report

Agenda and presentations

Wednesday, 27 November 2019
Morning
8:30 – 9:00	REGISTRATION
9:00 – 9:30	OPENING SESSION
	Ambassador Oscar Hernández (Spanish), Director of Relations for Integration and Cooperation of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA). María Cecilia Díaz Acuña, International Health Systems and Services Advisor of the Representation of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Mexico. Daniel Cámara Ávalos, Deputy Director-General for Hemispheric and Security Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of Mexico. Daisy Corrales, Director of the Inter-American Centre for Social Security Studies (CIESS) of the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS). Zoé Alejandro Robledo Aburto, Director-General of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) and President of the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS). Gibrán Ramírez Reyes, Secretary General of the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS).
09:30 – 09:45	OFFICIAL PHOTO
09:45 -10:00	COFFEE BREAK
10:00– 11:00	SESSION I: HEALTH WITHIN THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN INTEGRATION
	Moderator: Ambassador Oscar Hernández, Director of Relations for Integration and Cooperation of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) Alejandro José Solís Martínez, Executive Secretary of the Council of Health Ministers of Central America and the Dominican Republic (SE-COMISCA). Universal health: a key challenge in SICA (Spanish) Víctor Hugo Lezcano Escauriza, Representative of the Executive Directorate of MERCOSUR Social Institute (ISM). Health within the social dimension of Latin American and Caribbean integration (Spanish) Nila Heredia, Executive Secretary of the Andean Health Organization, Hipólito Unanue Convention (ORAS-CONHU) of the Andean Integration System. ORAS-CONHU: A body that focuses on subregional and regional integration (Spanish) Pamela Gana, Intendant of Occupational Health and Safety of the Superintendency of Social Security of Chile. Member of the Labour Technical Group in the Pacific Alliance. Collaborative experience within the framework of the Pacific Alliance (Spanish)
	This introductory session will focus on contextualizing health within the social dimension of Latin American and Caribbean integration and the initiatives that the regional and subregional institutions specialized in health have been promoting. Each participant will have 12 minutes for their intervention.
11:00 – 11:15	COFFEE BREAK
11:15 – 12:45	GENERAL DEBATE
12:45 – 02:30	LUNCH

Afternoon
02:30 – 03:45	SESSION II: PUBLIC POLICIES TO PROMOTE UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE AND ACCESS
	Moderator: Miguel Ángel Ramírez, Researcher of the Inter-American Conference of Social Security Hortensia Reyes Morales, Deputy Director-General of the Health Systems Research Centre of the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) of Mexico. Challenges of the health system in Mexico to respond to the health needs of the population (Spanish) Stacie Goring, Health Planner, Ministry of Health and Wellness of Barbados. Policies and Programmes to support Universal Health Coverage. John Roberto Scott Andretta, Research Professor, Centre for Research and Teaching in Economics. Challenges to achieve effective and equitable universal health access in Mexico (Spanish) Pablo Yanes Rizo, Coordinador de Investigaciones de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), Sede Subregional México. A proposal for a regional agenda to address the critical issues of inclusive social development in Latin America and the Caribbean (Spanish) Joaquín Felipe Molina Leza, Representative of the National Commission for Social Protection in Health of Mexico. Transformation of health care in Mexico (Spanish) Juan Carlos Ledesma Vázquez, Coordinator of Comprehensive Health Care IMSS-Bienestar Programme. IMSS-Bienestar Programme (Spanish)
	This session will focus on the analysis of public policies and programmes applied to the topic of health and their promotion as a mechanism to offer tools that provide universal health coverage and access. Each participant will have 7 minutes for their intervention.
4.00 – 4:00	COFFEE BREAK
04:00 – 05:00	GENERAL DEBATE

Thursday, 28 November 2019
Morning
09:00 – 10:00	SESSION III: STRENGTHENING HEALTH SYSTEMS
	Moderator: Daisy Corrales, Director of the Inter-American Centre for Social Security Studies (CIESS) of the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS) PANEL 1: FINANCIAL PROTECTION FOR ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES Diogenes Aybar, Adviser to the Minister's Office. Ministry of Health of the Dominican Republic. The financial protection of health services in the Dominican Republic (Spanish) David Kaplan, Senior Specialist of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Implications of linking the financing of medical services to the labour market (Spanish) Juan Pablo Gutiérrez Reyes, Professor–Researcher of the Centre for Research on Population and Health Policies. National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Effective access to health services: Operationalizing Universal Health Coverage (Spanish) Héctor Arreola Ornelas, Project Coordinator of the Health Observatory. Mexican Health Foundation (FUNSALUD). Financial protection for health services in Mexico (Spanish)
	This session will focus on analyzing the issue of financial protection of health services in Latin America and the Caribbean and how to strengthen them to provide better and more efficient services. Each participant will have 15 minutes for their intervention.
10:00 – 10:15	COFFEE BREAK
10:15 – 11:15	DEBATE GENERAL
11:15 – 12:15	PANEL 2: QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES
	Moderator: Representative of the Directorate of Medical Benefits of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) María Cecilia Díaz Acuña, International Health Systems and Services Advisor of the Representation of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Mexico. Quality in the provision of health services in the region of the Americas (Spanish) Daisy Corrales, Director of the Inter-American Centre for Social Security Studies (CIESS) of the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS). National dialogue for strengthening Costa Rican insurance in the context of public health (Spanish) Miguel del Castillo Negrete, Jefe de la Unidad de Desarrollo Social de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), Sede Subregional México. Quality in the provision of health services: an approach from the view of human rights (Spanish) Huniades Urbina, President of the Venezuelan Society of Paediatrics and Childcare. Inequidad en la cobertura y acceso de la atención en salud: la calidad en los servicios de prestación de salud. Hortensia Reyes Morales, Deputy Director-General of the Health Systems Research Centre of the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) of Mexico. Challenges to achieve quality health services (Spanish)
	This session will be oriented to the analysis of public policies focused on improving the quality of the provision of health services in the region through the vision and experience of international and intergovernmental organizations. Each participant will have 12 minutes for their intervention.
12:15 – 12:45	GENERAL DEBATE
12:45 – 02:00	LUNCH

Afternoon
02:00 – 03:00	SESSION IV: OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNICAL COOPERATION IN HEALTH FOR THE AMERICAS
	Moderator: Roberto Castillo, Head of Projects Division and Technical Assistance at the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS) Ana Mylena Aguilar Rivera, Senior Specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Regional mechanisms for technical cooperation in health (Spanish) Susana Rafalli, International Nutrition Advisor. Why is nutrition on a regional health and integration agenda? (Spanish) Felipe Cruz, Special Projects Division of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). Opportunities for technical cooperation in health: Mexico (Spanish)
	This session will allow gathering the main points of view of different organizations regarding the issue of universal health access and coverage to achieve greater technical cooperation in that area in the Latin American and Caribbean region and identifying the options in this regard to achieve a regional interaction. Each participant will have 15 minutes for their intervention.
03:00 – 03:30	GENERAL DEBATE
03:30 – 03:45	COFFEE BREAK
03:45 – 04:15	CONCLUDING SESSION
	Ambassador Óscar Hernández, Director of Relations for Integration and Cooperation of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA). Representative of the Ministry of Health of Mexico. María Cecilia Díaz Acuña, International Health Systems and Services Advisor of the Representation of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Mexico. Daisy Corrales, Director of the Inter-American Centre for Social Security Studies (CIESS) of the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS).
	This session will allow gathering the main points of agreement and consensus among participants, identifying lines of action and inter-institutional joint work that will strengthen the cooperation and integration relations in the region in terms of universal health access and coverage. Each participant will have 7 minutes for their intervention

04:15 – 04:45	CLOSING SESSION
	Ambassador Óscar Hernández, Director of Relations for Integration and Cooperation of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA). María Cecilia Díaz Acuña, International Health Systems and Services Advisor of the Representation of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Mexico. Daisy Corrales, Director of the Inter-American Centre for Social Security Studies (CIESS) of the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS).

Sponsors and collaborators

Background

The Latin American and Caribbean countries have designed institutional mechanisms that enable better coordination of matters of interest to the region, especially through integration systems and international organizations. These initiatives, which require better cohesion and monitoring, have not yet reached the level of political and economic integration that has been achieved in other parts of the world, such as the European Union or ASEAN.

In this connection, the integration process in Latin America and the Caribbean has the peculiarity of having subregional segmentations and responding to commercial issues over political ones, in addition to addressing social integration with special emphasis on border areas. Over the last 25 years, efforts have been made to promote initiatives that improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of the region through a broad social welfare policy approach, as a result of the economic growth that benefitted Latin America and the Caribbean and has allowed the region to address, thanks to the financial contribution of countries, the extensive socio-economic inequalities afflicting the continent.

Despite the economic and commercial progress, inequalities in the area of health persist, both at the country and regional levels. This has led to the need for the national health systems of the countries in the region to develop solutions that can respond to this problem without compromising the political and financial sustainability of governments. At present, it remains a pending issue on the regional development agenda.

Some achievements in this area have been achieved through universal health coverage (UHC), which has been at the centre of the global public health agenda recently. Its adoption allows national health systems to have mechanisms for cost-effective evaluation of health inequities. An example of this is the momentum that the World Bank (WB) generates in the subject, when adopting UHC as one of the fundamental pillars in its mission to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030. In addition, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) adopted in 2014 a regional strategy for UHC, which reflects the commitment, among the PAHO Member States, to strengthen national health systems and ensure that they provide quality services, ensure financial protection for users and promote public policies that address the socio-economic determinants that have an impact on health systems in the region.

Achieving universal health coverage (UHS) by 2030, as set forth in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Number 3: Good health and well-being, and complying with Goals 3.7: “By 2030 ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs” and 3.8: “Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all”, will require Latin American and Caribbean countries to join efforts and undertake to design and implement the best institutional and public policy mechanisms, which will inevitably require better coordination and cooperation among the countries in the region, in order to harmonize actions and strategies.

This meeting was expected to contribute to the reflection on the subject, the promotion of cooperation spaces and synergies, as well as the establishment of agreements that ensure, in accordance with the provisions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, that nobody is left behind in the access to equitable, timely and quality health systems in the region.

Contacts

Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA). Direction of Relations for Integration and Cooperation:

Contacts:

Ambassador Oscar Hernandez
Director of Relations for Integration and Cooperation
Javier Gordon Ruiz
Coordinator of Relations with Regional and Extra-Regional Organizations
E-mail: jgordon@sela.org
Samuel Díaz
Analyst of Relations
E-mail: sdíaz@sela.org

Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS)

Contacts:

José Antonio Hernández
General Coordinator
E-mail: antonio.hernandez@ciss.net
Monica E. Nuño Nuño
Coordinator of Relations with International Organizations
E-mail: monica.nuno@ciss.net

Informative guide

Information on migration

To enter Mexico, participants must complete all immigration procedures.
Foreigners are required to present a valid and unexpired passport.

Foreigners who have passport and one of the following documents do not require Mexican visa:

Valid and unexpired multiple entry US visa
Permanent Resident Card of Canada, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom or any country that belongs to the Schengen area.
Travel card for businessmen (APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)), adopted by Mexico.

If you want to know if you need a visa to enter Mexico, the Web site of the National Institute of Migration of Mexico (https://www.gob.mx/inm) includes an updated list with the above information. To access it, click here.

Logistics

Venue and date

Seminar on universal health coverage as a mechanism to facilitate regional integration
Venue: Headquarters of the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS)
Mexico City, Mexico
Date: 27 and 28 November 2019

Languages

The official languages for the event will be Spanish and English. There will simultaneous interpretation.

Hotels

Hotel of the Convention Centre of the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS)
San Ramón s/n.
Col. San Jerónimo Lídice,
C.P. 10100 – Mexico City

If you require further support, please contact at SELA:
Mrs. Cora Romero
Official of Travels and Arrangements
Administration Management, Personnel and General Services
Permanent Secretariat
Telephone: +58(212) 9557111 y 9557124
Fax: +58(212) 9516901 y 9515292
E-mail: cromero@sela.org

Dress code

Formal attire.

Transport

We recommend our guests to use the taxi service offered by the hotel or safe taxi lines.

Objectives

The objectives of this Regional Meeting are as follows:

Share a vision of policies and programmes for universal health coverage in Latin America and the Caribbean;
Assess the role of regional infrastructure and governance that ensures universal health coverage in Latin America and the Caribbean; and,
Identify opportunities for South-South Cooperation (CSS) in the health sector as a mechanism to promote regional integration

Participants

Participation in this event is subject to the invitations forwarded by the co-sponsors.

This Meeting is mainly aimed at the national authorities responsible for health policies in the Member States of SELA, representatives of regional and international organizations, experts in the field and scholars who study social dimension problems related to universal health coverage and access.