In a post in USAID’s “IMPACTblog,” published as part of “a series to coincide with A Promise Renewed in the Americas: ‘Reducing Inequalities in Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health Summit’ during September 10-12 in Panama,” USAID Assistant Administrator for Global Health Ariel Pablos-Mendez highlights the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region’s success in “reaching their Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5, which address child and maternal health respectively.” He notes “[a]lmost all LAC countries have reached or are close to reaching” their goals. “Despite two decades of development gains and recent economic growth in LAC countries, a large health disparity remains among and within countries with regard to access and quality of health services,” he states, adding “more than 180,000 children under five years old and nearly 9,000 mothers still die annually, most of them poor, indigenous and marginalized groups.” Pablos-Mendez examines possible solutions to address the disparities, and states, “I’m looking forward to the outcomes of this summit over the next few days and look to continue USAID’s deep and successful relationship with the LAC region, understanding full well that success means our eventual departure” (9/9).