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Latin America and the Caribbean

The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region is undergoing a rapid demographic shift marked by an aging population. As a result, the region’s health profile has transitioned from infectious to chronic diseases as the leading source of illness and death, with LAC experiencing the highest percentage of deaths from NCDs than any other developing region.

By 2050, per-capita health expenditures in nearly all Latin American countries are expected to at least double, with some Caribbean nations projected to exceed that growth.

In response, countries are developing innovative models of health financing to address the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is expanding access to essential medicines and diagnostics through pooled procurement mechanisms such as the Revolving Funds, while also strengthening health systems and integrating NCD and mental health services. 

Download Regional Landscape Analysis Executive Summary 

NCDs in Latin America and the Caribbean: The facts

Expanding FAN’s work to Latin America and the Caribbean represents a meaningful step toward strengthening sustainable health financing systems throughout the region.

About our host institution in Latin America and the Caribbean

The IECS — Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (Institute of Clinical and Health Effectiveness) — is one of Latin America’s leading research organizations, with more than two decades of experience generating and promoting scientific evidence to improve health outcomes globally. Founded in the late 1990s by a group of health professionals in Argentina, IECS has evolved from a master’s program in Clinical Effectiveness into a multidisciplinary institution dedicated to producing and applying knowledge to address the region’s most pressing health challenges.

IECS is an independent, non-profit academic organization with regional and global reach, committed to advancing public health through scientific work, education, and technical cooperation. Over the years, it has earned a strong reputation for scientific rigor, policy relevance, and the ability to translate evidence into actionable solutions across diverse health contexts. 


www.iecs.org.ar

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Regional NCD Financing Accelerators serve as centers of excellence, supporting country-based teams to improve health financing for NCDs. 

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Behind the Financing Accelerator Network for NCDs is a group of motivated individuals and dedicated organizations that share a desire to help improve the lives of people living in low- and middle-income countries around the world.

 

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By sparking new learnings, responding to country needs and priorities, and connecting global experts and local decision makers, FAN is helping to drive the action needed to close the health financing gap for NCDs in LMICs across Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean, and Asia Pacific. 
 

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