PAHO Praises Puerto Montt Cancer Plan as Example for the Americas

Puerto Montt's innovative Cancer Plan has earned international acclaim, with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) designating it as an exemplary model for other cities in the Americas. A PAHO delegation visited the southern Chilean city to study the successful strategy firsthand.

The delegation, including Dr. Silvana Luciani, head of the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit at PAHO headquarters in Washington D.C., and Olivia Brathwaite, a disease surveillance advisor for PAHO/WHO Chile, toured the Primary Health Care Specialties Center (Ceaps). They were briefed on the plan's "quadruple helix" approach, which fosters collaboration between the public sector, private industry, academic institutions, and civil society organizations.

This integrated model is designed to enhance cancer prevention efforts and improve early detection rates. During their visit, the PAHO representatives met with local officials, including acting mayor Fernando Orellana and Director of Health Miguel Aravena. They also conferred with clinical deputy director Giovanna Bellocchio, urologist Christian Huidobro, and Plan Cancer executive secretary Natalia Núñez.

Dr. Luciani specifically commended the team's achievement in securing high coverage rates for mammograms, a critical tool in early breast cancer detection. PAHO's endorsement suggests that Puerto Montt's comprehensive and collaborative approach to cancer control could serve as a valuable blueprint for public health initiatives throughout the region.

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by achieving high coverage of mammograms