These were the words of the Assistant Secretary of Public Policies in Health in Rio Negro, Argentina, during the first national workshop on eHealth in that country

Washington, DC, October 12, 2012 (PAHO/WHO)-As part of the implementation of the Regional Strategy on eHealth of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the first national workshop in Argentina was held in the city of Viedma, province of Rio Negro.

"It's very exciting to see that, 18 years later, here we are again together with PAHO from Patagonia Argentina sharing our experiences to the rest of the Americas and working together on informatics and health," said the Assistant Secretary of Public Policies in Health in Rio Negro, Dr. Edmundo Larrieru, referring to the first meeting on this topic that the ministry of health in that province had organized with PAHO/WHO 18 years ago.

The workshop was convened by the Ministry of Health of Rio Negro, led by the Minister of Health of that province, Dr. Norberto Delfino, and developed together with the office of PAHO/WHO in Argentina, headed by Dr. Paollo Balladeli.

Participants included the Secretary of Health, Dr. Carlos Hugo Mercapide, the Assistant Secretary of Public Policy, Dr. Edmundo Larrieu, as well as hospital directors, public officials and technicians of the provincial health portfolio, and representatives of health insurances, universities and the private sector.

The workshop was coordinated by the Regional Advisor on Knowledge Management and Communications at PAHO/WHO, Myrna Marti, and inaugurated by Manager of Knowledge Management and Communications at PAHO/WHO, Marcelo D'Agostino.

"Working together allowed provincial authorities to establish an agenda on eHealth, which will become the Digital Agenda for Public Health of the Province, and will serve as a model for all countries in the Americas region," said D'Agostino at the closing ceremony.

Among the main conclusions of the workshop, developed collaboratively in working groups, are the following: 1) Support the Ministry of Health of the Province in the development and implementation of a Provincial Plan on eHealth; 2) Support the development and implementation of a virtual collaborative plan for the entire health system in the province; and 3) Support the development and implementation of a digital literacy program for all health workers in the Province.

This activity serves Strategic Area No. 1 of the Strategy and Plan of Action for the Americas on eHealth (2012-2017), which seeks to endorse and promote the formulation, execution, and evaluation of effective, comprehensive, and sustainable public policies on the use and implementation of information and communication technologies in the health sector.

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• Follow Marcelo D’Agostino, Area manager of Knowledge Management and Communications at PAHO/WHO @marcelodagos
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LINKS

• Destacan a Río Negro por su desarrollo informático en el plano sanitario - Gobierno de Río Negro, Argentina, 26 September, 2012
• Con Fuerte apoyo de la OPS se desarrolló en Viedma el Primer Taller Nacional de “e.Salud” - Agencia Digital de Noticias, Río Negro, Argentina, 3 October 2012
• "Recordando a uno de mis grandes amores" - Personal Blog post by Marcelo D’Agostino about his visit to Rio Negro with Myrna Marti 18 years ago

CONTACTS

• Public Information: Romina Cialdella, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , +(202)974-3073
• Public Information in Argentina: Myrna Marti, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it