Mexico City, 24 February 2025 - The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) office in Mexico held a meeting on ethnic-racial and gender equity in eye health in the Americas on February 19 and 20, with the participation of 20 people from seven countries in the Region of the Americas.
At the opening session of the meeting, the PAHO/WHO representative in Mexico, José Moya Medina, stressed the importance of ensuring the participation of indigenous peoples in the construction of health policies that respond to their needs and realities. Likewise, PAHO's advisor on cultural diversity, Sandra del Pino, emphasized the importance of strengthening the intercultural approach in health systems and guaranteeing equitable access to quality services.
It should be noted that this meeting is part of PAHO/WHO's efforts toward regional elimination of trachoma, a preventable eye disease that continues to affect vulnerable populations, especially indigenous communities. In this context, the participants highlighted the importance of ensuring an intercultural approach to trachoma prevention and control strategies, recognizing the fundamental role of traditional medicine and indigenous peoples' own health practices.
Emphasis was also placed on the need to develop specific indicators for eye health to monitor ethnic-racial and gender inequalities in access to ophthalmologic care.
The session was attended by indigenous leaders, traditional doctors with experience in eye health, experts in eye health and trachoma from ministries of health, and PAHO focal points for ethnicity from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela.
The meeting allowed for an enriching dialogue on the key elements of the draft WHO Global Plan of Action for Indigenous Peoples, ensuring that the document reflects the realities and needs of indigenous communities in the Region.
At this first meeting, PAHO/WHO initiated a consultation process on the draft Global Plan of Action. Consultations will continue in the coming months, reaffirming the Organization’s commitment to trachoma elimination, equity in health, and the recognition of cultural diversity in the Americas.
