Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, citing disparities in sexual and reproductive health coverage in the Americas, has expressed concern over the region’s adolescent pregnancy rate.
Jarbas disclosed that the disparities exist, although most countries have improved sexual and reproductive health service coverage.
The Americas region has reached eighty-four percent, above the seventy-four percent global average.
However, the PAHO Director explained that despite the advances, the data showed room for improvement.
“The adolescent pregnancy rate in the region, for example, is unacceptable,” he observed.
During the 60th Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), health authorities from countries in the Americas approved a report on access to sexual and reproductive health in the region.
The document presents the current status of sexual and reproductive health (SHR) services.
It also highlights existing health responses and barriers to access, proposing measures for improvement.
According to PAHO, barriers to accessing SRH services are more significant in vulnerable populations, implying that certain groups consistently experience worse outcomes.
