The Ministry of Health (Minsa) and the National Customs Authority (ANA), with the support of the United Nations Development Program, reinforced Panama’s technical capabilities for the control of regulated chemical substances.
The training of Minsa and ANA personnel will take place from April 20 to 24 at the Research and Training Center of the Administration Attorney’s Office, with the participation of officials linked to environmental surveillance and the protection of public health.
During the closing, the General Director of Public Health of the Minsa, Yelkys Gill, highlighted the importance of inter-institutional coordination to guarantee compliance with commitments, such as the Montreal Protocol, the Kigali Amendment and other multilateral agreements.
Gill stressed that this joint work allows progress towards a more efficient, transparent control system aligned with international standards.
“Health does not only depend on a physical condition; it is a comprehensive well-being, and the environment is an essential factor that we must protect,” Gill emphasized.
For her part, Yolanda Cárdenas, representing the ANA, highlighted the existing coordination between educational, municipal and security entities, as well as with the Minsa and the Ministry of the Environment, to comply with the environmental agreements signed by the country.
The workshop included specialized sessions on international instruments, such as the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Basel, Stockholm, Rotterdam and Minamata conventions, as well as key aspects of the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment.
Likewise, priority topics were addressed such as the identification of regulated substances, the prevention of illicit trafficking, the correct application of the tariff system, the incorporation of the gender approach in customs management and the implementation of the Green Customs initiative.
Representatives from institutions participated in the event, such as the Attorney General’s Office, the Administration Attorney’s Office, the Fire Department of the Republic of Panama, the National Police of Panama, the National Border Service, the Judicial Investigation Directorate, the Ministry of Commerce and Industries of Panama, the Authority for Consumer Protection and Defense of Competition, as well as the Colón Free Zone and technical teams from the Minsa at the central and regional level.
