During the 2024–2025 biennium, Paraguay made critical progress in strengthening emergency care related to road traffic injuries, in line with the objectives under pillar 5 (“Effective post-crash response”)  of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030.  

PAHO provided strategic technical cooperation to improve the health system’s response capacity, supporting implementation of the Basic Emergency Care course through national- and departmental-level training for professionals involved in prehospital and hospital care. In partnership with the Laerdal Foundation, PAHO facilitated the donation of 10 clinical simulation kits, strengthening hands-on training and the acquisition of essential competencies for the early and standardized care of road traffic injury victims.

In addition, PAHO provided technical support for the development of a national plan for strengthening emergency care for the period 2026–2030, ensuring a comprehensive, sustainable, and evidence-based approach that integrates training, planning, and the standardization of care. This progress reflects effective coordination between the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare, departmental governments, and strategic partners, and lays the foundation for improving the timeliness and quality of emergency response. The results strengthen the health system’s capacity to address road traffic injuries, contribute to reducing avoidable mortality and injury severity, and establish a scalable and replicable model as a national standard for early emergency care.

Photo caption: Emergency response training, Encarnación, Itapúa Department, Paraguay.

Credit: PAHO/Mirtha Rodriguez.