Suriname has made significant progress in public health, becoming the first malaria-free country in the Amazon region in 2025. Yet important health challenges remain, including noncommunicable diseases and unequal access to healthcare. Contracted by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), hera supported the development of the 2026–2030 Country Cooperation Strategy through a desk review, two in-country missions for data collection and verification, stakeholder engagement, and analysis to inform the Strategy's priorities for strengthening the country's health system.
Despite notable achievements in recent years, Suriname faces a complex public health landscape. While progress in tackling infectious diseases has been significant, the country continues to navigate a growing burden of noncommunicable diseases, persistent health concerns such as HIV and tuberculosis, and disparities in access to care, particularly in remote interior communities.
Addressing these diverse needs requires a coordinated approach that connects national health priorities with the technical cooperation and support needed to advance them. The new Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) for 2026–2030, developed by the Government of Suriname and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), provides a framework for this collaboration. hera supported PAHO throughout the Strategy's development, contributing to the evidence base and stakeholder engagement needed to shape its priorities.
Understanding and validating Suriname’s health priorities
Developing a Country Cooperation Strategy requires a clear understanding of the national health context, including progress, challenges and stakeholder priorities. hera began with a desk review of relevant documentation, followed by two missions to Suriname to gather and verify information through engagement with PAHO and national stakeholders. The second mission included a presentation and validation workshop, bringing stakeholders together to discuss and validate the proposed strategic direction. This combination of evidence and stakeholder input helped ensure the Strategy reflected national priorities, strengthened ownership and provided a foundation for coordinated action between Suriname and PAHO over the coming five years.
Four strategic priorities for 2026–2030
The resulting Country Cooperation Strategy was signed by the Government of Suriname and PAHO on 16 September 2026. It establishes four interconnected priority areas to guide cooperation in the next five years:
Strengthening leadership, governance and health systems for universal health, including efforts to improve health system capacity and access to quality care.
Enhancing health promotion, immunization and disease control, addressing both communicable and noncommunicable diseases.
Improving health and well-being across the life course, with particular attention to people and communities in vulnerable situations.
Strengthening emergency preparedness and climate resilience, building capacity to prevent and respond to health emergencies, outbreaks and climate-related threats.
Together, these priorities provide a framework for addressing existing health challenges while building a more equitable, resilient and people-centred health system.
From strategic priorities to meaningful change
The development of the CCS demonstrates the importance of combining sound evidence, timely data collection and meaningful stakeholder engagement in shaping national health strategies. In contexts where health needs are diverse and resources must be directed towards competing priorities, a robust and consultative process is essential to developing a strategy that is both relevant and actionable. Concrete action and measurable results should follow.
Progress against the Strategy will be reviewed at midterm in 2028 and again in 2030. Its ultimate success, however, will be measured by how effectively its priorities translate into stronger health systems and improved access to quality healthcare for people across Suriname.
For hera, this assignment reflects our continued commitment to supporting partners in developing evidence-informed strategies that respond to national priorities and contribute to stronger, more equitable health systems.
Read more about the new Country Cooperation Strategy on the PAHO website.
If your organisation is looking to develop or strengthen a strategy, build an evidence base, or engage stakeholders to inform future priorities, the hera team would welcome the opportunity to collaborate. Contact us at hera@hera.eu.