The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) is the specialized international health agency for the Americas. It works with countries throughout the region to improve and protect people's health.  PAHO engages in technical cooperation with its member countries to fight communicable and noncommunicable diseases and their causes, to strengthen health systems, and to respond to emergencies and disasters. To advance these goals, PAHO promotes technical cooperation between countries and works in partnership with ministries of health and other government agencies, civil society organizations, other international agencies, universities, social security agencies, community groups, and other partners. PAHO promotes the inclusion of health in