CAHI ANNUAL CONFERENCE: RECOGNIZING THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE
More than a hundred people met on February 14 at the City of Knowledge Convention Center, gathered by their particular interest in human well-being and the advances to achieve the much-needed and long-awaited Equity in Health in Central America.
The Annual Conference of the Central American Healthcare Initiative (CAHI) is already a point of reference in the region, being a meeting place that every year brings together important leaders and experts in the area of health, to share perspectives, learning, and renew their commitment to improving access to medical care , especially for the population in a situation of vulnerability.
This 5th CAHI Conference was entitled Equity in Health: the Transformative Power of Agents of Social Change, thus placing its emphasis on the ability of people to generate improvements in their own communities and environments. It is therefore understandable why this meeting produced so much enthusiasm among those present.
The exchange was carried out between social entrepreneurs, medical specialists, health center managers, international experts, academics, authorities and citizens. The range of people present is an example of CAHI's innovative approach, which in addition to promoting specialized leadership and efficient management of health projects, promotes cooperation between all sectors of society, as a key to addressing and overcoming collective challenges. .
The program CAHI Fellows, which graduated its 5th generation at this event, is developed in partnership with INCAE Business School, to provide a high-level training program in health management to medical and community leaders throughout Central America. Participants receive a full scholarship for their participation in an intense 8-month program, within which they develop and refine their ideas or initiatives to generate a positive impact on medical care and services, cooperating with more equitable access to health .
THE FIRST MOMENTS OF THE CONFERENCE
The welcome was given by Shivaugn Ahern, Executive Director of CAHI, who from the beginning highlighted the importance of cooperative work and coordinated effort among all actors, to advance health equity in the region. Ahern stated: "Our goal is to continue supporting the network of CAHI Fellows to continue sharing their learning and achievements for equity in health."
Robert Jeffe, Founder and President of CAHI, confirmed this message addressing the audience present, and maintaining that one of the keys to this process lies in the high level of qualification of health leaders. With proper training, the greatest impact is guaranteed.
Both took the opportunity to thank INCAE Business School for the design and implementation of the health management training program, specially developed for all generations of CAHI Fellows.
High representatives, distinguished guests of the Social Security Fund and the Ministry of Health of Panama, joined in the welcome, with words full of pride for the impact that the CAHI Fellows are achieving in the region and the pertinent participation of all sectors.
FIRST PANEL
HEALTH EQUITY IN VULNERABLE CENTRAL AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
This gave way to the first specialized presentation, thanks to Dr. Lisa Adams, who is Associate Chancellor for Global Health and Director of the Center for Health Equity at Dartmouth College. Dr. Adams offered a macro perspective on equity in health, which made it possible to understand the context and general trends within which the projects promoted by CAHI are inserted.
Dr. Adams stated that equity in health is a central element of development, that if it is not achieved, it deepens the affectations of the population that systematically experiences difficulties in the exercise of their rights and access to services and medical attention, due to their race, ethnic group, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, age or mental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, geographic location, or other characteristics.
As key elements to advance towards equity in health, he mentioned: fostering leadership at all levels of the health system; resilient institutions established; decisions based on scientific evidence; the equitable design of the programs to be implemented; the focus on providing care in the community setting; and finally, the collaboration of all sectors.
The first panel of CAHI Fellows, moderated by Andrea Prado PhD, Associate Professor at INCAE Business School, started from this general vision. Doctors Marylín Hernández (Ph7 Clinic in Honduras), Waleska López Canú (Wuqu' Kawoq, Guatemala), and Alcibíades Batista (Regional Director in Chiriquí for MINSA, Panama).
He highlighted from this panel the way in which these leaders took social problems and transformed them into opportunities for transformation, opening various options for empowerment and the development of new learning in their communities, which guarantees the sustainability of their projects and a growing impact.
VISIT TO THE STANDS
GETTING TO KNOW THE PROJECTS OF THE CAHI FELLOWS
The pause that followed this interesting dialogue allowed all those present to walk through the exhibition area, in which the 19 CAHI Fellows of the fifth generation had the opportunity to share their projects and experiences.
- Silvana Alaniz, from the Vivian Pellas Hospital in Managua, Nicaragua.
- Oscar Castaneda Campos, from the Hospital Nueva Concepción in El Salvador, El Salvador.
- Rafael De Gracia, from the Miguel Arcángel Hospital in San Miguelito, Panama.
- Mariela Delgado Mora, from Association 123 to Move in San José, Costa Rica.
- Rosalina Delgado Mora, from Association 123 to Move in San José, Costa Rica.
- Isabel Delgado Ramírez, from the Social Security Fund, Costa Rica.
- Silvia España, from the Departmental Hospital of Totonicapán in Quetzaltenago, Guatemala.
- Sergio Flores, from COMSALUD in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
- Ingrid González, from MINSA in Panama, Panama.
- Iveth Izaguirre Sánchez, from the San/SCGG Technical Unit in Comayaguela, Honduras.
- Ricardo Jiménez Yela, from the PASMO Association in Guatemala, Guatemala.
- Maxbeny López Canú, from the Wuqu' Kawoq Association in Chimaltenango, Guatemala.
- Giovanna Melillo Vegas, from the National Association Against Cancer in Santiago de Veraguas, Panama.
- Thomás Meoño Martín, from the Social Security House in Cártago, Costa Rica.
- Josué Murillo, from the Manuel de Jesús Subirana Hospital in Yoro Yoro, Honduras.
- José María Rodríguez, from the MOVICÁNCER Foundation in Managua, Nicaragua.
- Edgardo Saavedra, from the Social Security Fund in Panama, Panama.
- Andrea Sojuel Figueroa, from the Association of Parents and Friends of People with Disabilities in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala.
- Milvia Solórzano García, from the Secretary of Social Affairs of the Municipality of Guatemala in Villa Nueva, Guatemala.
One of the most impressive aspects of this exhibition was the diversity of experiences and initiatives, characterized by an exercise of leadership with high managerial training, attention to vulnerable or marginalized populations, collaboration between the public and private sectors, the high level of participation community and finally cooperation within the network of CAHI Fellows.
SECOND PANEL
WORKING TOGETHER TO BRING HEALTH CARE TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST
Dr. Nathan Bertelsen, Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at New York University, who is also a member of the CAHI Board of Directors, took the floor to speak about the relevance and impact of the network of leaders in the area of health that is being constituted by the CAHI Fellows in the Central American region.
From his close and human approach, the values that are present in all the leaders and health professionals who have passed through the program stand out: the recognition of the family as a nucleus and element of motivation for action, the care of the environments and available resources for the sustainability of the initiatives, and respect for diversity in the relationships established within the network. All these elements that are clearly connected with a deep collective commitment, as a characteristic of this group of graduates of the program.
Dr. Bertelsen spoke of Planetary Health, considering complex variables and global changes that generate important variations in the area of health, manifestations and acceleration of climate change and migration processes. Around them there is a set of imaginaries in movement, which sometimes produce the diversion of actions that could have a positive impact in the face of existing challenges; however, there are also initiatives such as CAHI, which considers the necessary emergence of innovative leadership to face this dynamic reality.
This presentation served as the framework for the following panel, moderated by Andy Pearson MS, who is a researcher at INCAE Business School. In this conversation participated Lic. Allan Bejarano (Consultant, Costa Rica), Dr. Giovanna Melillo (Skin Cancer Clinic, Panama), and Dr. Sergio Flores (Comprehensive Medical Network, Honduras).
In this dialogue, support processes and collaborative work between the public and private sectors were highlighted, as well as the need to have an organized process that guarantees sustained attention, an adequate flow of information and educational work that tends to prevent diseases. On the other hand, the relationship between the health area and other community needs was considered, such as access to employment or decent work, training, and the coordination of actions organized by the community.
OBSERVATIONS FOR THE FUTURE
Dr. Leonardo Cubillos, MD MPH, Senior Policy Advisor at the Center for Technology & Behavioral Health, at Dartmouth College, was responsible for making a final reflection on what was shared throughout the entire conference.
Dr. Cubillos presents five challenges, which become opportunities and as a whole a solid vision for the future of the Central American Healthcare Initiative and the regional network of CAHI Fellows:
Expand and deepen the measurement of the impact of projects under development.
Document successes and failures to generate learning.
Take existing public-private partnerships to a new level, to consolidate and expand them in all the countries of the region. Integrate digital technologies into communication, research and learning processes.
Bring the learning processes to more people and more communities, to continue promoting social leadership with extensive management skills.
Consolidate the CAHI Fellows as a collaborative learning network.
Thus, both this important network with people and initiatives throughout Central America, as well as the practices and learning that are shared to strengthen social and collaborative leadership, generate a movement that has been consolidating in recent years, in which the public, private and civil society.
It is a network of individual wills that positively affect the community and cooperate with the increase of equity in health in the region.
Dr. Cubillos ends with these words: “We share the responsibility and commitment to multiply this school of social leadership, join our efforts so that the knowledge that the communities have through the projects facilitates the formation of new profiles. It is about turning this hotbed into a great school of leaders for Central America.”
