Panama's Minister of Health, Fernando Boyd Galindo, participated in the CAF International Economic Forum. During the event, he held a bilateral meeting with the Vice Minister of Health of the Republic of Peru, Shirley Monzón Villegas, to exchange experiences on the health advances achieved by both nations, as well as on the possibilities for cooperation in the training of specialist physicians. Subsequently, the head of Panama's Health portfolio participated in the closed-door panel 'Telehealth: a new paradigm for health investment,' with the aim of exchanging experiences and best healthcare practices among the countries of Latin America. The discussion positioned health innovation—and particularly telemedicine—as a strategic tool to address the structural gaps in access, coverage, and quality that persist in the region's health systems. The closed-door panel allowed for the exchange of perspectives and proposals aimed at prioritizing high-impact interventions, advancing sustainable implementation models, and aligning public and private efforts to accelerate the adoption of telemedicine as a pillar of universal health coverage. Overall, the outcome reflects a clear opportunity: to move from recognizing the potential of telemedicine to its effective implementation through coordinated decisions, functional regulatory frameworks, and financing schemes that ensure equity, efficiency, and sustainability in the long term. Boyd Galindo presented the participants with this administration's initiative to integrate the public health services between the Social Security Fund and the Ministry of Health, with the goal of guaranteeing universal access to healthcare. The Minister of Health, Fernando Boyd Galindo, accompanied the President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, during the inauguration of the International Economic Forum Latin America and the Caribbean 2026, which is taking place in Panama with the participation of regional heads of state, political leaders, businesspeople, and scientists. During the event, Minister Boyd Galindo held a bilateral meeting with the Vice Minister of Health of the Republic of Peru, Dr. Shirley Monzón Villegas, in which they exchanged experiences on the health advances achieved by both nations, as well as the possibilities for cooperation in the training of specialist physicians. The figures presented—with nearly 30% of the population without effective access to basic services and millions of people forced to travel long distances—reinforced the urgency of adopting innovative solutions that strengthen primary care and decongest higher levels of complexity. In this context, the role of CAF as a facilitator between governments and the private sector was valued, not only in terms of financing but also as a promoter of strategic dialogue spaces. Its cost-effectiveness was highlighted, as it allows for the expansion of services and the improvement of administrative efficiency without requiring large investments in physical infrastructure, positioning it as a more agile and sustainable alternative to traditional models. Likewise, the shared diagnosis evidenced critical challenges: the fragmentation of systems, infrastructure limitations, a deficit of human talent, and the low problem-solving capacity of the primary care level.
