PAHO launches regional technical packages to strengthen access to essential medicines and accelerate the reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality

Washington, D.C., 19 February 2026 (PAHO) - The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) launched new technical packages aimed at strengthening access to essential medicines and health technologies with the aim to accelerating the reduction of maternal and perinatal mortality in the Americas.

The launch took place during a virtual event titled "Accelerating the reduction of maternal mortality: strengthening access to essential medicines and technologies for women's, maternal, neonatal and reproductive health in the Americas," which brought together more than 500 participants, including representatives from ministries of health, procurement and finance authorities, and technical teams from countries across the Region.

Despite progress in recent years, preventable maternal and neonatal deaths remain a major challenge in the Region of the Americas. Persistent inequalities in access to essential health services and supplies continue to affect the most vulnerable populations. Strengthening access to essential medicines, maternal and neonatal health technologies, and modern family planning is critical to reducing mortality and improving outcomes for women and newborns.

During the webinar, PAHO presented the Maternal and neonatal health, a comprehensive technical packages developed based on the best available evidence, which will be managed through its Regional Revolving Funds. These packages are designed to facilitate the pooled and secure procurement of priority medicines, medical devices, and equipment for maternal and neonatal care.

The packages include critical equipment such as incubators, fetal monitors, suction devices, and neonatal resuscitation equipment, as well as first-line essential medicines such as oxytocin and misoprostol for the prevention and management of postpartum hemorrhage; magnesium sulfate for the treatment of preeclampsia and eclampsia; antibiotics for maternal and neonatal infections; and long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs).

By consolidating demand and strengthening supply chain planning, the Regional Revolving Funds support Member States in improving the availability of these supplies at the point of care, enhancing procurement efficiency, and ensuring timely access to evidence-based interventions.

The webinar featured Eladio Pérez, Vice Minister of Health of the Dominican Republic, and Claudia Varga, Director of Medicines and Health Technologies at the Ministry of Public Health of Colombia, who shared previous successful experiences working with the Strategic Fund. The webinar also highlighted PAHO's broader regional framework to accelerate maternal mortality reduction, focused on strengthening primary health care, governance, the health workforce, and the empowerment of women and communities, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP).

PAHO panelists included Cristopher Lim, Chief of the Strategic Fund; James Fitzgerald, Director of the Department of Health Systems and Services; Rodolfo Gómez Ponce de León, Regional Advisor for Maternal, Sexual and Reproductive Health (HSS); Santiago Cornejo, Executive Manager of the Regional Revolving Funds; and Nora Girón, Technical Officer of the Strategic Fund. A total of 515 participants from countries across the Region attended the webinar and expressed positive views about the strategy being launched.

For more information on the maternal and neonatal packages, please contact: [email protected]

Recordings of the webinar are available here.