Regional Leaders Launch Blended Finance Initiative to Expand Surgical Care Across Latin America and the Caribbean
CHÍA, COLOMBIA — Leaders from across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have launched a coordinated effort to unlock sustainable financing for surgical care, marking a shift from policy ambition to investable action.
Senior government officials, development finance institutions, global health experts, and civil society organizations convened at the School of Government at Universidad de La Sabana — which served not only as host venue but as a core partner and co-organizer of the convening — alongside Operation Smile, Harvard Medical School’s Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), Corporación Latinoamericana para la Salud, and the Women’s Health and Economic Empowerment Network (WHEN).
Over two days, partners jointly designed and aligned on a clear mandate: to develop and deploy blended finance solutions that strengthen health systems and expand access to essential surgical care across the region.
From Commitment to Investment
The convening resulted in a structured, country-led roadmap to develop investment-ready financing models ahead of the World Health Assembly. Delegations from 12 countries — Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines – committed to advancing sustainable, government-owned financing strategies.
Participants identified priority countries, defined financing structures, and launched a co-design process to develop pipelines of investable opportunities. These proposals will be presented at the WHEN Women’s Health Summit at the World Health Assembly.
Closing a Critical Financing Gap
The initiative responds to a significant and well-documented gap in global health financing. An estimated 5 billion people worldwide lack access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical care, with disproportionate impact in low- and middle-income countries. Surgical conditions account for roughly one-third of the global disease burden, with untreated conditions projected to result in $20.7 trillion in economic losses by 2030 — more than half borne by these countries.
In Latin America alone, approximately 365 million people lack adequate access to surgical care.
Evidence presented by Harvard PGSSC highlights blended finance – combining public and philanthropic capital with private investment – as a viable and underutilized pathway to expand fiscal space and scale national surgical plans.
Momentum is already building. In parallel with the convening, CAF – the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean – announced the launch of a regional impact investment fund (FIIALC), designed to mobilize institutional capital toward high-impact initiatives. This signals a rapidly emerging ecosystem for health-focused blended finance in the region.
A Regional Coalition Takes Shape
“This is the moment where the conversation shifts from defining the problem to financing the solution,” said Dr. Kee B. Park of Harvard Medical School. “Sustainable, country-owned financing is essential to making national surgical plans work.”
Across sectors, participants emphasized that the missing link is not political will, but financing architecture – structures that align governments, investors, and partners around long-term health system goals.
Operation Smile’s Rubén E. Ayala noted: “Sustainable impact requires more than clinical capacity. It requires financing mechanisms that governments can own and partners can scale. This convening moved that from aspiration to action.”
What Comes Next
Country-led teams – bringing together governments, development finance institutions, investors, and technical partners – will now develop detailed financing blueprints translating national health priorities into fundable investment cases.
These proposals will be presented at the World Health Assembly, where partners are expected to announce capital commitments and outline next-phase implementation.
The organizing institutions have committed to ongoing collaboration to advance this pipeline and support countries in deploying blended finance solutions at scale.
About the Organizers
Operation Smile
Operation Smile is a global nonprofit working to expand access to essential surgery and health care, beginning with cleft care and comprehensive services. Through partnerships with governments and health systems, it delivers care, training, research, and long-term system strengthening worldwide.
Universidad de La Sabana
A leading Colombian university recognized for academic excellence and policy impact, Universidad de La Sabana plays a key role in advancing health systems innovation and convening cross-sector partnerships across Latin America and beyond.
Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), Harvard Medical School
PGSSC is a multidisciplinary initiative advancing equitable access to surgical, anesthesia, and obstetric care through research, policy, and global partnerships.
Corporación Latinoamericana para la Salud
A regional nonprofit focused on strengthening health systems and advancing equitable, sustainable healthcare solutions across Latin America.
Women’s Health and Economic Empowerment Network (WHEN)
WHEN is a global blended finance platform mobilizing public and private capital to expand access to health, economic opportunity, and essential services, with a focus on women and underserved populations.