PAHO - Pan American Health Organization

Published purpose

March 2013 - Established in 1924, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization. PAHO's mandate is to lead efforts by member states and other stakeholders to promote health equity, combat disease, and improve the quality of life of people living in the Americas. PAHO's main activities include: the provision of technical assistance and training on public health issues; support to health policy development; deployment of emergency response capacity in the event of natural disasters and the outbreak of major infectious diseases; and, procurement and distribution of vaccines, essential medicines and medical supplies. With CIDA support, PAHO's 2013 emergency operation in Haiti includes: maintaining or rehabilitating water, sanitation and hygiene systems in 69 health centres that provide treatment for acute diarrhea; providing information on cholera prevention to an estimated 3.5 million people; and, supporting ongoing disease surveillance and cholera treatment efforts in the country.