New PAHO Director: Ending the COVID-19 Pandemic and Building Resilient Health Key Priorities

Washington D.C.: Dr. Jarbas Barbosa was sworn in on January 31 as the new Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), pledging to work in partnership with member states to end the pandemic and ensure that the region’s health systems recover stronger than before. He will take office on 1 February 2023.

“Countries in the Americas face a complex epidemiological landscape, with the stubborn persistence of communicable diseases, the risk of outbreaks and epidemics, the rise of non-communicable diseases, the damage caused by traffic accidents and violence, and the impacts of climate change,” Dr. Barbosa said.

“We need strong, resilient health systems that can perform all the Essential Public Health Functions adequately.”

Dr. Barbosa, formerly Assistant Director at PAHO, was sworn in at a ceremony held at the Organization of American States (OAS). PAHO is the specialized international health agency for the interAmerican system and Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO). Dr. Barbosa, a national of Brazil, succeeds Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, of Dominica.

To address the “significant inequalities between and within countries” and to ensure post-pandemic recovery and preparedness, Dr. Barbosa’s tenure will focus on five strategic pillars:

•End the pandemic with the tools countries have at hand, including surveillance and vaccines

•Apply the lessons learned from the pandemic to prepare for future health emergencies

•Guarantee rapid and equitable access to health innovations for all countries in the region

•Build resilient national health systems based on Primary Health Care

•Strengthen PAHO’s capacity to help member states.

“I will work tirelessly,” Barbosa said, “to ensure that PAHO maintains all of its many achievements to date, renewing itself every step of the way, always building networks and working as a bridge for understanding, solidarity and innovation.” dream that solidarity among the countries of the Americas is a powerful force that can improve the lives of our peoples.”

“We stand here today, 120 years later, encouraged by these very dreams, which remain very much alive and continue to inspire us.”

Quotes:

Carissa F. Etienne, outgoing Director of PAHO

“As I hand over this office and hand the steering wheel over to my esteemed friend and colleague, Jarbas, I am confident that the future of the organization will be in good hands as you will bring to your new role exceptional technical expertise, astute policy making skills, together with pragmatism and wisdom from your many years of experience gained in your home country of Brazil as well as internationally.”

Nisia Trindade Lima, Minister of Health of Brazil

[Dr. Barbosa] is a thinker as well as a builder, somebody who transforms ideas into lasting intuitional practices. Throughout his extensive career, he has worn many hats at different levels within the single health system. As a public health expert, he always fought to defend the principles of a Brazilian health reform and work towards an inclusive and solidary society that places health as a universal right.”

Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services of the United States

“Created by necessity, hardened by crisis, and maintained by brotherhood, for more than 100 years, PAHO has been tested and has risen to meet every challenge in its path.”

“Dr Barbosa, you have the great task of leading this organization at a particularly challenging time. We must put into practice all that we have learned from COVID-19, while also recognizing the next health emergency could be lurking in the shadows ready to emerge at any time.”

Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the OAS

“You are assuming the leadership of PAHO at a critical juncture for the hemisphere, the moment in which the lessons learned from COVID-19 in the region, and in the world, must be applied so that in the future we can face similar situations in the best possible way.”

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director of the World Health Organization (WHO)

“You begin your work as regional director at a difficult time – with rising inflation and debt, squeezed budgets, and divisive politics and war. But also, you begin at an important time, as the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, and we seek to jump start progress towards the triple billion targets and the sustainable development goals.”

Carlyle de Macedo, Director Emeritus of PAHO

“Dr Jarbas Barbosa has all the qualities to be an excellent director and fulfill his mission with great efficacy. His technical capacity demonstrated, through his diverse and successful professional experience, all the qualitieis and attributes of a leader.”

Sir George Alleyne, Director Emeritus of PAHO

Tel: 212-697-9360

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of universal health to both the public and heads of state like never before, Barbosa said.

Tel: 212-687-4981

“It is urgent that we make use of this attention to strengthen health systems, address persistent issues and shortcomings, and ensure the right to health of all peoples in our Region,” he added.

“One hundred and twenty years ago, our countries proposed an alliance to improve the health of our peoples and face outbreaks and epidemics together,” Dr. Barbosa said.

“The dream of pan-Americanism. The

Molwyn Joseph, Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment of Antigua and Barbuda

“Today, Dr. Jarbas, you commence the task of continuing the good work of the long line of leaders who have assisted the countries of the Americas over the last 120 years. You now have the opportunity to carve your own path and destiny as you steer us in a post pandemic era with its many ongoing challenges. I have no doubt that your experience, technical knowledge and passion for what public health can offer will allow you to attain your goal to build a better, more equitable world with universal health.”

“To be Director of the Pan American Health Organization is an almost sacred trust, but I am absolutely sure that you will discharge that trust with honor to yourself and with benefit to the health of the peoples of the Americas.”

Mirta Roses, Director Emeritus of PAHO

“Since the beginning of his career, [Dr. Jarbas Barbosa] has demonstrated an open and reflective attitude, willing to listen, to conciliate and to implement decisions. He has the capacity and experience in political and institutional management, and extensive knowledge of PAHO an WHO, international cooperation and partners and allies, as well as the countries of the region, communities and civil society organizations.”l

Composting for All

BY HON. ERIC ADAMS

New Yorkers know that rats love trash bags full of food waste. And they know that I hate rats. This week, our Administration declared that Restaurant Week for rats in this City is finally over.

For too long, New Yorkers have had to bring their compost to neighborhood drop off sites, or deal with one-off collection programs that weren’t designed to reach everyone. This meant mountains of trash bags on our sidewalks, attracting rats day and night.

New Yorkers have been saying loudly that they want a compost program across the City – they want the rat food out of the black bags and out of the landfills once and for all. For over twenty years, New York City has been trying to achieve citywide curbside composting that actually WORKS for everyone.

We are finally getting it done. By the fall of next year, New Yorkers in all five boroughs will be able to put their yard waste and food scraps out on the curb year-round, in the simplest, easiest, most efficient curbside composting program ever.

No more carrying your banana peels to neighborhood drop off sites or bagging up fall leaves to be thrown in the garbage. New Yorkers across all five boroughs will be able to compost kitchen scraps and yard waste every week on their recycling day. What could be more convenient for us, or more upsetting for the rats?

Starting March 27 of this year, composting service will restart in Queens after a brief winter pause. It will never take a seasonal break again. On October 2, we will roll out a composting in all of Brooklyn, followed by service in Staten Island and the Bronx in March 2024. And on October 7, 2024, we will expand composting to all of Manhattan, creating the largest citywide composting program in the country.

This is a new, free, universal service for New Yorkers, and we’re making it as easy and straightforward as possible. You can use our Brown Bin or your own bin – no more complicated rules. And you can compost everything from vegetable scraps to coffee grounds and chicken bones. We like to say, "If you cook it or you grow it, you can throw it."

Our pilot program in Queens kept nearly 13 million pounds of kitchen and yard waste out of our landfills in just three months. That’s more than the weight of 300 city busses! Imagine the impact when we expand that to 8.5 million New Yorkers across all five boroughs.

This is about more than making life easier for families and homeowners –and worse for rats. It’s about improving our environment and quality of life across the board. New York City pro- duces over a million tons of food waste every single year. Right now, we know that 1/3 of all material in our refuse stream is compostable material, which goes to landfill and decomposes over YEARS, releasing harmful methane gas.

Instead, we’re going to capture and use that waste ourselves to make usable soil, biosolids, and renewable energy. Under this new program, some of the material will be composted at our facility on Staten Island and other places around the country; other material will be turned into usable natural gas and biosolids by the Department of Environmental Protection right in Brooklyn.

And all of that compost can be used by New Yorkers to grow healthy food. The soil will return to our parks, planters, and personal gardens. People will be able to pick this up for free. And those who love gardening or growing urban farms can grow fresh, healthy food right here in New York City.

I want to thank everyone who has made this possible, including the Queens residents who led the way, separating their compost and making the pilot program a success.

We are making composting easy in every corner and in every neighborhood in New York City.

This is huge win for cleanliness, a huge win for sustainability, and the environment we all share as New Yorkers. The only ones that lose are those rats.l

Mayor Eric Adams has served the people of New York City as an NYPD officer, State Senator, Brooklyn Borough President, and now as the 110th Mayor of the City of New York.