Strengthening Western Hemisphere Health Security Through the America First Global Health Strategy in Panama
Thomas "Tommy" Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson
Strengthening Western Hemisphere Health Security Through the America First Global Health Strategy in Panama
Today, the United States and the Republic of Panama signed a three-year bilateral health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that advances the America First Global Health Strategy while defending Americans against infectious disease threats and accelerating Panama’s progress toward sustainable, country-led health systems. This partnership between the United States and Panama is the first global health MOU signed in our hemisphere, which is priority for the Trump Administration and under Secretary Rubio’s America First Foreign Assistance agenda.
Through this MOU, working with Congress, the Department of State intends to provide up to $22.5 million over the next three years to support Panama’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and bolster disease surveillance capabilities. Panama commits to increasing its domestic health expenditures by more than $11 million, demonstrating its commitment to greater national ownership of its health system.
This $33.5 million partnership is particularly significant for our hemisphere, where self-reliant health systems prevent diseases from spreading across borders and putting Americans at risk. By strengthening Panama’s laboratory systems, the country will endeavor to independently identify and contain health threats at their source—before they can spread regionally and reach the United States.
A key innovation of this MOU is Panama’s expansion of decentralized primary care services specifically targeting priority infectious diseases in rural and hard-to-reach areas. Community health workers equipped with digital devices will record patient data in electronic medical records, enabling real-time disease reporting. These digital systems will also facilitate immediate sharing of laboratory results, supporting better patient monitoring for HIV and other infectious and chronic diseases.
By the end of the MOU period, Panama will have integrated U.S.-funded frontline healthcare and laboratory workers responsible for administering U.S.-funded infectious disease support into its national health workforce, ensuring long-term sustainability of critical health services and advancing a resilient, country-owned health system that protects both Panamanian and American populations from health security threats.
America First Global Health Strategy Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed so far represent over $18.6 billion in new health funding including more than $11.3 billion in U.S. assistance alongside $7.2 billion in co-investment from recipient countries, building on decades of progress fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases around the world. As of February 25, the State Department has signed 18 bilateral global health MOUs with Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Panama, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.
from Collected Department Releases – United States Department of State https://ift.tt/QekJp1m