Overview
- Countries across the Americas marked the date to recognize physicians and to recall Carlos J. Finlay’s 1881 insight that Aedes aegypti transmits yellow fever, later validated by U.S. investigators.
- OPS reporting notes an unprecedented dengue toll in 2024—over 12.6 million cases and more than 7,700 deaths—and continues to characterize dengue as a regional emergency in 2025.
- The commemoration reinforces calls for cross-border surveillance, vector control and hospital preparedness as health services continue to face pressure from recurring outbreaks.
- In Argentina, professional colleges held local ceremonies, including a La Plata event honoring more than 160 physicians for 25- and 50-year milestones.
- Sector leaders in Argentina highlighted persistent gaps and high demand in primary care, pediatrics, surgery and anesthesiology, obstetrics, imaging and cardiology, alongside concerns over burnout, workplace violence, technology adoption and fee negotiations.