Regional Convener - Americas
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO)
Since 2016, PAHO/WHO has served as the regional convener for the Social Innovation in Health Initiative (SIHI) in the Americas, co-sponsoring activities, hosting resources, and collaborating with the SIHI-LAC Secretariat, governments, innovators, and partners. As WHO’s Regional Office for the Americas, PAHO/WHO acts as a key liaison with WHO, TDR, and international partners to integrate social innovation into regional health strategies. In collaboration with Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM) and Instituto de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Parasitología Antonio Vidal, PAHO coordinates regional hubs to implement social innovation initiatives across Latin America and the Caribbean.
OUR ACTIVITIES
Connecting Social Innovators
From August 2022 – May 2023, PAHO with the support of the SI-LAC secretariat and social innovators co-developed and piloted a new program among social innovators in health, called the SI-Exchange (Innovación social en salud: Intercambio de experiencias y documentación). The purpose of the SI-Exchange was to co-produce knowledge on social innovations in health, document and disseminate the knowledge, and build the implementation capacity of social innovators in health.
The first pilot was conducted between the Pablo Montoya from, El Canto del Tucán (Sinergias) in Colombia and the Magaly Blas from, Mamas del Rio in Peru. The pilot was supported by Marcela Mercado from Zika Kids in Colombia.
Findings from the pilot highlighted the positive experiences of innovators who participated in the SI-exchange and the value of learning across innovations. Recommendations for future SI-exchanges include: the provision of administrative and travel support, investing in documentation training, and ensuring a full multi-disciplinary team composition.
Read the Report
Read the Report
Developing Guidance Materials
Based on the learning gained during the SI-Exchange pilot, a guidance document was developed to support innovators, journalists, or persons who wish to document social innovation strategies such that a) research questions can be identified and b) social innovations can be promoted.
This 17-page guidance document provides the reader with a background to social innovation and relevant frameworks; highlights the value of documenting social innovation cases; gives tips and suggestions on the practicalities associated with doing so; and provides a detailed case documentation template with different documentation tools that can be used.
Social Innovation Case Documentation Guidance 2023
Authors: Dr Lindi van Niekerk (PhD, MBChB, MSc)
Identifying Social Innovation Projects
Thanks to the support of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and to the collaborative work between the SIHI LAC Hub, the Honduras Hub and PAHO, calls for proposals are held every two years to identify and highlight social innovations initiatives to improve health in the Latin American and Caribbean region. These calls aim to make visible and promote Social Innovation efforts that are generating a positive and transformative impact on the health of our communities in the region.
The last 2023 call focused on identifying and recognizing social innovations in health that have contributed significantly to closing the equity gap in access to health services. In this edition, three outstanding innovations were recognized, and two honorable mentions were awarded.
Learn more about these calls here.
Learn about the results of our latest 2023 call.
OUR RECOGNIZED INNOVATIONS (2015-2023)
Delivering in Person Training Workshops
From October 31 to November 2, 2023, the “Social Innovation as a Pathway for Health Equity” workshop was held at the PAHO headquarters, in Washington DC. This workshop brought together social innovators in health, representatives from various PAHO departments, and DC-based innovation collaborators and members from SIHI-LAC.
The overall aim of the workshop was to co-produce knowledge on social innovation in health strategies, enhance innovation sustainability and scalability, promote networking, and celebrate the impact that social innovations in health have had on health equity in the LAC region.
The workshop promoted spaces for dialogue between social innovators and potential allies, helping to identify the needs and opportunities for social innovations in health to impact politics, in addition to knowledge and experience exchange. Innovators also had the opportunity to present their initiatives.
Tangible impacts at both innovator and institutional levels were noted. PAHO expressed interest in institutionalizing social innovation in health, marking a shift towards a holistic approach in their strategic goals. The meeting emphasized health equity, community impact, and recognition of innovators, contributing to compiling and understanding best practices.
Linking Innovators with Researchers
PAHO aims to build the capacity of innovators by partnering innovators with seasoned researchers so that, initiatives can move forward with their innovations and research. In 2023, two recognized innovations Mamás del Río and El Canto del Tucán (Sinergias NGO) partnered with Salud con Lupa to provide training to indigenous communicators from the Amazon.
READ AND WATCH MORE ABOUT OUR WORK HERE
Social Innovation in Health Initiative – Technical Report 2019
Authors: PAHO
Year: 2019
Building the social innovation for health ecosystem in Latin America: experiences and learning from SIHI-LAC
Authors: van Niekerk, L., Echavarria, ME., Alger, J. et al.
Journal: BMJ Innovations
Year: 2022
A social innovation model for equitable access to quality health services for rural populations: a case from Sumapaz, a rural district of Bogota, Colombia
Authors: Bautista-Gómez, MM. and van Niekerk, L.,
Journal: International Journal for Equity in Health
Year: 2022
Social Innovation as a Pathway to Health Equity
Report of the Meeting: October 31 – November 2, 2023, Washington, D.C.
La innovación social como vía para la equidad en salud Informe de la reunión
31 de octubre – 2 de noviembre de 2023, Washington, D.C.
Discover how innovators are transforming health systems
The Mamás del Río Project, recognized by SIHI, aims to reduce maternal and child mortality in rural Peru by empowering community agents through the use of ICT, as explained by Dr. Magaly Blas, Project’s Director.
Explore inspiring presentations and case studies from across the region, shared during the Social Innovation in Health Workshop hosted by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). These videos highlight community-led solutions, research partnerships, and innovative approaches transforming health systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Meet our Team
Dr Luis Gabriel Cuervo Amore
Luis Gabriel is the Senior Advisor for Health Research within the Evidence and Intelligence Unit. He leads PAHO’s engagement in SIHI and is an avid promoter of social innovation within the organization.
Luis Gabriel plays an important role in building networks and unlocking resources that can enhance the social innovation eco-system in Latin America.
Dr Ana Ortigoza
Ana is the Health Equity Advisor within the Social and Environmental Determinants Unit at PAHO. Ana is passionate the contribution social innovation can make to achieving health equity for all.
Dr Sebastián Garcia Saiso
Sebastian is the Director for Evidence and Intelligence Unit at PAHO. Sebastian believes in the value social innovation can bring to enhancing the programmatic activities of PAHO, and supporting the organization achieve its strategic goals.
Carolina Peña
Carolina Peña serves as an international consultant for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), actively leading efforts to integrate social innovation strategies that address health inequities in underserved communities across Latin America and the Caribbean. She is a professional at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, providing support to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. As Co-Founder of Raíces Collaborative, Carolina leads initiatives focused on advancing social and environmental education. With over 15 years of regional experience, she offers extensive expertise in innovation, equity, and sustainability to drive meaningful impact.
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