ESP ACA The Communicable Disease cluster, comprised of Outcome 4 (Response capacity for communicable diseases), 12 (Risk factors for communicable diseases) and 17 (Elimination of communicable diseases) shows a 3% increase in its PB 2024-25 allocation compared to the 2022-23 biennium. According to the prioritization results, Outcome 12 is a high priority outcome, Outcome 4 is a medium priority outcome and Outcome 17 is a low priority outcome. The increase in budget will allow PASB to advance the Elimination Initiative and work with countries and territories to strengthen and expand immunization coverage across the Region, while also addressing the root causes of disease transmission and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance through a One Health approach.

The Determinants of Health and Cross Cutting Themes cluster, compromised of outcome 18 (Social and environmental determinants), 19 (Health promotion and intersectoral action), and 26 (Cross-Cutting Themes: Equity, Ethnicity, Gender, and Human Rights) shows an overall increase of 4% in comparison with the PB22–23. This increase is consistent with the prioritization results, resource mobilization prospects and PASB focus for the 2024–2025 biennium. The additional budget, with commensurate funding, will catalyze efforts to ensure that no one is left behind.

The Health Emergencies cluster is composed of three high priority outcomes.  Outcomes 23 (Health emergencies preparedness), 24 (Epidemic and pandemic prevention and control), and 25 (Health emergencies detection and response) which are aligned with multiple areas of focus for this Program Budget. As a cluster, these three outcomes show an increase of 3%, considering that non-OCR COVID related funding will decrease as the Region enters the recovery phase of the pandemic. The increase in budget is important for continuing to strengthen Member States’ capacities for preparedness, prevention, and response to health emergencies and building resilient health systems, considering the lessons learned from the pandemic. At the same time, PASB will expand the Safe/Resilient Hospitals initiative.

The Health Systems, Services and Life Course cluster, comprised of 8 outcomes, presents an overall increase of 6% in comparison with PB22–23. It includes Outcome 1 (Access to comprehensive and quality health services), which is a high priority outcome, five medium priority  outcomes: outcomes 2 (Health throughout the life course), 7 (Health workforce), 8 (Access to health technologies), 9 (Strengthened stewardship and governance) and 10 (Increased public financing for health), and two low priority outcomes: outcomes 3 (Quality care for older people) and 11 (Strengthened financial protection). Through this outcome cluster, PASB will work to advance progress toward universal health, with access to services throughout the life course. This will only be accomplished if countries are empowered to build strong and resilient health systems based on primary health care.

The Information Systems, Evidence and Research cluster, comprised of three outcomes, has an overall increase of 4% for the 2024-25 allocation as compared with the 2022-23 budget allocation. Outcome 20 (Integrated information systems for health) saw a surge of demand during the pandemic period, reflecting the need to build capacity to improve monitoring and dissemination of high-quality information for better decision making and shifted from medium priority in PB22–23 to high priority for PB24–25. This is also consistent with the areas of focus mentioned above, which recognize the need to advance digital transformation and information systems for health, ensuring use of timely, reliable, and disaggregated data for decision making. Outcome 20 is closely related to Outcomes 21 (Data, information, knowledge, and evidence) and 22 (Research, ethics and innovation for health), which as a cluster complement its funding, since data and innovation are integral to strengthening information systems for health.

The NCDS and Risk Factors, Mental Health, Violence, and Injuries cluster presents a growth of 5% for PB24–25 in comparison to PB22–23. The increase is driven by the increase in budget of outcomes 5 (Access to services for NCDs and mental health conditions), 13 (Risk factors for NCDs), 14 (Malnutrition) and 16 (Intersectoral action on mental health), rated as high and medium priority. Outcomes 5 and 13 have been consistently among the highest ranked priorities for Member States, as the epidemiological transition that is underway in the Region shifts toward the prevalence of NCDs. The increase in budget will also enable PASB to support Member States to respond to the urgent need for attention to mental health, which emerged as a lesson learned from the pandemic.  Outcomes 6 (Response capacity for violence and injuries) and 15 (Intersectoral response to violence and injuries) have no growth budget from the previous biennium due to a low prioritization result.

The Leadership, Governance and Enabling functions cluster shows a no growth budget from the previous biennium. Both outcomes in this cluster, 27 (Leadership and governance) and 28 (Management and administration) are not rated in the prioritization exercise. In order to do more with effectively fewer resources, considering the impact of inflation, PASB will continue to implement strategies and innovations to strengthen its enabling functions and enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability.