The Future of Health Care in Latin America

Health systems across Latin America were ill-prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. The regional average for public healthcare expenditure is just 3.7 percent of GDP, far below the 6 percent recommended by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The availability of doctors and hospital beds is half the level of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. Meanwhile, despite universal healthcare access, Latin American households pay one-third of healthcare costs out-of-pocket, a heavy burden in a region with high levels of poverty. The pandemic brought these and other deficiencies into sharp relief, as overwhelmed health systems from Manaus to Mexico City found themselves short on supplies and personnel, compromising care not only for COVID-19 patients.

Though the pandemic also battered Latin America’s economies, there is no time to spare in investing more generously and strategically in public health, including in new healthcare technologies that could improve efficiency and accessibility. Otherwise, the region will remain unprepared for the next health crisis.