Buenos Aires, April 23 and 24, 2026
Representatives from governments, multilateral banks, international cooperation agencies, civil society organizations, academia and the research community from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay participated in the “Regional Dialogue on needs and priorities for financing non-communicable diseases (NCDs)”The meeting also included the participation of other international stakeholders, including representatives from Access Accelerated, Results for Development (R4D), and the World Bank. This event marked a significant milestone as the first regional gathering to establish a collaborative health financing agenda. With 45 participants, the event took place on April 23 and 24 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in a hybrid format.
El Institute of Clinical and Health Effectiveness (IECS), in its role as the regional host institution for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) of the Financing Accelerator Network for NCDs (FAN)It convened representatives of strategic actors in the region. The global initiative is driven by the technical alliance. Access Accelerated–World Bank, In collaboration with Results for Development (R4D), and is aimed at strengthening NCD financing through evidence generation, cross-country exchange and the promotion of catalyst funds for innovative solutions.
At the start of the first day, Herb RibandThe director of Access Accelerated highlighted the network's role in addressing current health financing challenges in the region. He also emphasized that FAN aims to connect global experts with local decision-makers to accelerate actions that will close the financing gap for non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia Pacific.
“FAN is based on the vision that progress happens when countries participate and take the lead, while global and regional partners provide support rather than trying to dictate what countries should do and how to do it. We know that this kind of top-down approach top-down "It doesn't produce positive results. We also know that progress accelerates when countries learn from each other. And this meeting is designed to foster precisely that: an exchange of ideas, strategies, and practical lessons," Riband noted.
Regional approach and collaborative work
The first day focused on the presentation and validation of the regional study conducted by 15 researchers from three IECS centers and departments on the financing landscape for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Latin America and the Caribbean. The study, which involved the analysis of more than 150 documents and 21 interviews with 22 key stakeholders from 10 countries, identified the main challenges facing these countries in terms of resource mobilization, the volume and redistribution of pooled funds, financial protection, strategic procurement, technical assistance and innovation, and governance.
“The problem is not only the amount of resources allocated [to the prevention and treatment of NCDs], but also how those resources are allocated and organized,” summarized the study’s lead researcher. Dr. Federico Augustovski, director of the Department of Health Technology Assessment and Health Economics at IECS and FAN project leader in Latin America and the Caribbean.
During the meeting, the Dr. Adolfo RubinsteinThe director of the Center for Implementation and Innovation in Public Policies (CIIPS) at IECS presented preliminary results and trends identified in different countries. These included limited fiscal space, competition for resources with other sectors of the economy, difficulties in translating nominal or aspirational coverage into effective coverage, the discontinuation of programs once external funding ends, scalability problems in pilot programs, and a greater focus on policy development than on implementation.
From evidence to action: a roadmap for the region
Following the presentation of the guidelines for the work, the study findings were discussed in group sessions facilitated by two main co-authors, the Dr. Vilma Irazola, director of the Department of Chronic Disease Research at IECS, and the Prof. Dr. Andrés Pichon-Riviere, Director General of IECS. The work in specific groups aimed to validate the main messages, suggest adjustments and identify priorities for FAN in four of the areas addressed in the document: resource mobilization; pooling and financial protection; strategic procurement; and governance, scaling and implementation.”
The workspaces were also facilitated by members of the IECS technical teams: Dr. Ariel Bardach, Mag. Cintia Cejas, Mag. Natalia Espinola, Dr. Pablo Gulayin, Lic. Sofia Pirsch, Dr. Carolina Prado, Mag. Constanza Silvestrini, Lic. Valentina Stacco and Dr. Camila Volij.
Following the exchange, each group shared its proposals in a plenary session. These sessions fostered an enriching exchange among the participants, allowing them to compare experiences, identify common challenges, and explore opportunities to improve NCD funding in the region.
Building on the findings and discussions of the first day, the second day was a face-to-face strategic workshop focused on translating the evidence and shared priorities into concrete implementation actions. The day began with a recap of the main results and then moved on to the analysis of country case studies, the lessons learned from which were subsequently shared in a plenary discussion.
Through these exchanges, participants made progress in defining strategic priorities for FAN in Latin America and the Caribbean. They also worked on developing a shared learning agenda and mapping stakeholders and partnerships to strengthen the regional network.
Thus, the meeting progressed in consolidating agreements, defining priorities, and developing a roadmap with the next steps, laying the groundwork for the implementation phase in the region. The Panorama Report (Landscape Report) will be published soon.
To learn more about the project and the FAN alliance, visit ncdfinancing.org.
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