WASHINGTON, United States (CMC)–The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on Friday welcomed The Bahamas as the latest member to join the Alliance for Primary Health Care (PHC) in the Americas.

The PHC is a regional initiative led by PAHO, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the World Bank and supports countries in strengthening primary health care and transforming health systems through coordinated investment, innovation, and technical cooperation.

PAHO said that the Caribbean Community (Caricom) country’s accession was formalised during a hybrid signing ceremony held in Nassau, with representatives of the government, PAHO, the IDB, and the World Bank participating in person and virtually.

PAHO said the partnership will support The Bahamas in strengthening its health system by aligning investments, technical cooperation, and innovation around national priorities.

As part of its accession, The Bahamas established a Consultative Mechanism for Primary Health Care, a strategic platform led by the Ministry of Health and Wellness that will bring together national authorities and the Alliance partners to coordinate investments, technical cooperation, and innovation around the country’s health priorities.

“The Bahamas is pleased to join the Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas and welcomes this important partnership. For us, partnership in the Alliance is not about adding another country to a regional network, it is about adding meaningful impact where it matters most – in the lives of our people,” said Health and Wellness MInister, Michael Darville.

“Through this Alliance, we envisaged that technical expertise, investment and innovation would be better aligned with our national priorities; support for the implementation of The Bahamas National Health Strategy; and an accelerated transformation of the country’s health system through a primary health care approach.”

The mechanism will serve as a permanent forum for policy dialogue and technical collaboration, helping coordinate investments and technical cooperation with national priorities, coordinate ongoing and future initiatives, and advance implementation of The Bahamas National Health Strategy.

“The Bahamas is the first Caricom member state to join the Alliance, marking a new chapter for the initiative and creating an important opportunity to extend its benefits across the Caribbean,” said PAHO’s Director, Dr Jarbas Barbosa.

“Through the Primary Health Care Consultative Mechanism, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, PAHO, the IDB and the World Bank will work together to identify shared priorities, align technical cooperation and investments, and translate our shared commitment into a practical roadmap for implementing the National Health Strategic Plan.”

The Alliance supports countries through coordinated technical cooperation, financing, and policy dialogue. Since its creation, it has facilitated the alignment of investment plans and the mobilisation of resources for more than one billion US dollars to strengthen primary health care across the region.

“The Bahamas is taking an important step toward strengthening its health system through stronger, more coordinated primary health care. This Alliance enables us to work alongside the Government and our partners to expand access to quality services and build a more resilient, equitable, and people-centered health system,” said Steven Collins, Chief of Operations at the IDB Country Office in The Bahamas.

Health Practice Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Bank Group, Michele Gragnolati, said “we warmly welcome The Bahamas to the Alliance. The Bahamas’ decision to join reflects a clear conviction that stronger primary health care is the foundation of healthier people, more resilient systems, and a more prosperous region.

“Through the Alliance, we are helping Caribbean countries turn shared ambition into financed, measurable results to bring quality, affordable, and resilient care closer to every family,” she added.

With the incorporation of The Bahamas, the Alliance now brings together 12 countries in the Americas namely Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and The Bahamas.

PAHO said that it will continue working closely with The Bahamas to strengthen primary health care through technical cooperation, policy dialogue, and capacity building, contributing to universal access to health and more resilient, people-centered health systems.