Dr. Gustavo Mery, MD, MBA, PhD, is an Advisor in Health Systems and Services with the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).
He has extensive experience internationally as a scientist and policy advisor in health systems and economics. Within PAHO/WHO, Dr. Mery supports efforts to advance Universal Health Coverage and enhance equitable access to comprehensive, quality services in the Americas. The focus of his work has centered around inter-programmatic approaches, integrating health systems and services to achieve community-based primary health care. His work aims at exploring and catalyzing territorial, bottom-up approaches to innovate and transform health systems and the life of communities.
Currently in Costa Rica, he works strengthening health care governance and stewardship at the Ministry of Health, reinforcing primary health care models embedded in communities, and supporting the development of integrated health services networks. He has also led intersectoral efforts to overcome COVID-19 in the country and the region. In the Bahamas, he helped developed a National Health Insurance System and led the UN response to hurricane Matthew in 2016.
Previous roles in Canada include as Senior Health Economist at the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and diverse roles as a research consultant. In Chile, he was a medical director, university professor, and practiced medicine as an emergency and primary care physician.
He obtained his medical degree from Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, a Master of Business Administration from Adolfo Ibáñez University of Chile, and a doctoral degree in health outcomes and economics from the University of Toronto, at the IHPME.
His main areas of specialization and interest are international health systems and diplomacy, health economics, intersectoral collaboration, applied quantitative research, and health innovation.