Salud Mesoamérica: Equity - Quality - Impact
February 13 and 14, 2025
Launched in 2010, the Salud Mesoamerica Initiative has become an innovative model in public policy, public health, and development in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through strategic partnerships, results-based financing, and culturally sensitive implementation, this initiative has driven transformative changes in Mesoamerica’s public health systems. Its model ensured quality healthcare for the most vulnerable populations: the poorest 20% of women and children.
With the initiative's closure, on February 13-14, we had the privilege of gathering in Washington, D.C., with donors, health ministers, senior officials, multilateral institutions, regional entities, and technical experts in a space for dialogue and exchange of ideas. The goal was to strengthen health systems in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, the state of Chiapas (Mexico), and Panama, reflecting on the progress achieved and exploring conditions for sustainability.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), together with MHI donors, organized this international meeting to share, consolidate, and disseminate the main results that constitute the legacy of the past decade. These achievements were supported by an independent study confirming that this initiative has provided quality healthcare to 1.8 million women, newborns, children, and adolescents, impacting the poorest 20% of the population.
Santos Olga, a Mother Benefited by the Initiative
Olga lives in Guatemala and lost her mother at the age of 12 due to complications from her last pregnancy. When she became pregnant herself, remembering her mother’s experience, she decided to attend all check-ups and follow the recommended care for herself and her baby. This is her story.
Sustaining the Achievements of the Mesoamerican Health Initiative
With the initiative ending on February 13 and 14, 2025, we had the privilege of gathering in Washington D.C. with donors, health ministers, senior officials, multilateral institutions, regional entities, and technical experts. It was a space for dialogue and idea exchange to strengthen health systems in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, the state of Chiapas (Mexico), and Panama, reflecting on the progress made and exploring conditions for sustainability.
INTERVIEWS
ISM Celebrates 10 Years of Work: Donald Berwick Reflects on Lessons Learned
Donald M. Berwick is President Emeritus and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the United States. In this interview, the expert reflects on the work of the Mesoamerican Health Initiative.
ISM Celebrates 10 Years of Work:
the Gates Foundation Shares the Keys to the Initiative’s Success
Ethan Wong leads learning initiatives for the Primary Health Care team at the Gates Foundation. In this interview, he shares his reflections on the work carried out by ISM.
ISM Celebrates 10 Years of Work:
the Carlos Slim Foundation Committed to Health in Mesoamerica
Roberto Tapia, General Director of the Carlos Slim Foundation and one of the main partners of the SMI, discusses the impact of ISM and talks about strategies to ensure the lasting effects of the results achieved.
ISM Celebrates 10 Years of Work:
“health Is a Social Reality That Brings Us Together” — Rocío Sáenz Madrigal
During the event "Salud Mesoamerica Initiative: Equity - Quality - Impact," Rocío Sáenz Madrigal, President of the Network for Health Equity in the Americas (RAES), shared her insights from the ISM. The expert emphasized that “local evidence was key to generating actions.”
ISM Celebrates 10 Years of Work: “defined standards and care processes improve health services” — Natalia Beer
During our celebration event, we spoke with Natalia Beer from the Ministry of Health and Wellness of Belize, one of the countries benefited by the Initiative. She discussed the challenges of expanding the quality of public health services.
Revisit the Sessions and Reflections from the Event
Opening Remarks – "Salud Mesoamerica Initiative: Equity - Quality - Impact"
Ilan Goldfajn, President, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); Marco Antonio Slim Domit, Carlos Slim Foundation; Christopher J. Elias, President of Global Development, Gates Foundation
Session 1: Strategic Conversation – Collaborating for Impact: Committed to Change
Ana María Ibáñez, Vice President of Sectors and Knowledge, IDB; Alejandra Acuña, Executive Secretary, COMISCA; Roberto Tapia, General Director, Carlos Slim Foundation; Traceey McNeill, Director of Primary Health Care, Gates Foundation; Eva Buendía, Political Advisor, Embassy of Spain in the U.S.
Video: Salud Mesoamerica Initiative – A Decade of Work
Session 2: Scaling Up Impact – The Potential of Alternative Models
Amanda Glassman, Executive Advisor to the President, IDB; Donald Berwick, Co-Founder and President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Session 3: Salud Mesoamerica Initiative – Results and Evaluation Findings
Emma Iriarte, Executive Secretary, SMI/IREM; Alicia Menéndez, Professor, University of Chicago & Principal Investigator, NORC; Gary Darmstadt, Associate Dean of Maternal and Child Health & Professor of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine; Sebastián Bauhoff, Senior Health Economist, IDB
Session 4: The Heart of Health Systems – In-Depth Analysis of Honduras and El Salvador
Rocío Sáenz Madrigal, Former Minister of Health, Executive Director, RAES; Leslie Curry, Professor of Public Health and Management, Yale School of Public Health; Heidi Adilia Morales, Ministry of Health, El Salvador; Karla Perla, NGO Coordinator, Shoulder to Shoulder, Honduras; Wolfgang Munar, Director, Gill-Lebovic Center for Community Health, George Washington University
Session 5: The Salud Mesoamerica Initiative Model – Beyond Conventional Approaches
Ricardo Mújica, Executive Director, Carlos Slim Foundation; Natalia Beer, Maternal and Child Health Advisor, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Belize; Ethan Wong, Deputy Director of Primary Health Care, Gates Foundation; Ignez Tristao, IDB Country Representative in Guatemala; William Savedoff, Senior Partner & Economist, Social Insight
Closing Remarks (Day 1) & Lessons Learned
Ferdinando Regalia, Social Sector Manager, IDB
Reflection (Day 2)
Tomás Bermúdez, General Manager, Regional Department for Central America, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, and the Dominican Republic; IDB Representative in Panama
Session 6: Systemic Perspective and Quality of Care – A Strategic Dialogue
Rashad Massoud, Visiting Professor, Harvard Medical School; Jafet Arrieta, Vice President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement; Pedro Bernal, Senior Sector Specialist, IDB; Diego Ríos Zertuche, Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, MHI.
Reflection: Sustaining Achievements
Ferdinando Regalia, Social Sector Manager, IDB.
Session 7: Sustaining the Achievements of the Salud Mesoamerica Initiative
Rocío Sáenz Madrigal, Emma Iriarte, Jaime Sepúlveda, Gustau Alegret (Moderator).
Session 8: Opening the Black Box to Provide Quality Services: The Approach Driven by the Mesoamerica Health Initiative
Dana Lawrence, Emergency and Outpatient Supervisor, Western Regional Hospital, Belize; Karla Perla, NGO Coordinator Shoulder to Shoulder, Honduras; Nathalia Meza, Quality Director, Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare, Paraguay; Álvaro González, Operations Advisor, ISM/IREM, IDB; Ignacio Astorga, moderator.
Session 9: Ensuring Sustained Change: Intersectoral Approach - Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancies
Tannia Rivas, Ministry of Health, Costa Rica; Mónica Gamboa, Ministry of Health, Costa Rica; Paulo Baeza, Costa Rican Social Security Fund; Patricia Jara, moderator.
Reflection: Ensuring Sustained Change: Intersectoral Approach - Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancies
Led by Francisco Javier Urra, IDB Representative, Costa Rica.
Final Reflection (Day 2) – Salud Mesoamerica Initiative Event
Emma Iriarte, Executive Secretary, SMI/IREM.