PAHO, the World Bank, and the IDB join El Salvador in advancing the consolidation of primary health care

Washington, D.C., October 17, 2025 (PAHO/WHO) - To strengthen interinstitutional coordination and advance the implementation of the primary health care (PHC) model, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Bank (WB), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) supported the Ministry of Health of El Salvador (MINSAL) in holding a technical workshop on October 16 and 17 as part of the activities of the Mesa Consultiva of the Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas (AxAPS).

The meeting brought together technical teams from the Ministry of Health (MINSAL) and representatives of the three international agencies to align ongoing cooperation initiatives, identify synergies, and define a common roadmap to drive the transformation of the health system based on the primary health care (PHC) approach.

In line with the Ministry's strategic vision, the workshop aimed to establish technical, operational, and institutional agreements among the participating agencies for the coordinated implementation of actions in the areas of primary health care, integrated health service delivery networks, digital health, and health workforce development.

Led by Carlos Alvarenga, Vice Minister of Health Management and Development at MINSAL, the workshop was attended by Gianluca Cafagna, Senior Health Specialist for the Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice (WB); Ignacio Astorga, Lead Health Specialist in the Health, Nutrition and Population Division (IDB); Marcelo Korc, PAHO/WHO Representative in El Salvador; Ernesto Báscolo, Chief of the Primary Health Care and Integrated Service Delivery Unit (PAHO/WHO); and Benjamín Puertas, Chief of the Human Resources for Health Unit (PAHO/WHO); along with national technical teams and representatives of the cooperating agencies.

The process concluded with the development of a joint agenda to align national and international efforts around strengthening PHC in El Salvador.

The Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas

Launched in December 2023 by PAHO, the IDB, and the World Bank, the Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas aims to promote investments, innovation, and policies that strengthen PHC as the foundation of more resilient, equitable, and sustainable health systems.

El Salvador formalized its participation in the Alliance for PHC in December 2024 with the creation of the Mesa Consultiva for primary health care, a national governance mechanism that supports coordination of investment, technical cooperation, and financing among MINSAL, PAHO, the IDB, and the World Bank. The Mesa serves as a political and technical dialogue space aimed at strengthening the stewardship role of the Ministry of Health and promoting the transformation of the national system toward integrated, equitable, and people-centered services.

Since its launch, several countries in the Region, including Chile, El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic, have established national mesas consultivas as coordination instruments.