"The governments of Uruguay and Brazil have announced the reinstatement of the Binational Border Advisory Commission, a mechanism to strengthen cross-border coordination in healthcare and ensure access to medical services for local communities. Footage filmed on Monday shows supplies and facilities at the Cerrillada polyclinic in the Uruguayan village of Ribera, which serves rural populations close to the border with Brazil. Uruguay’s Deputy Director General of Health at the Ministry of Public Health, Gilberto Rios, said the initiative would formalise cooperation between the two national health systems. “A National Border Health Commission was established, which is the one that will begin to push forward this process of reciprocal provision of health services,” Rios said. The Binational Border Advisory Commission seeks to improve emergency care, access to essential medicines, and specialised medical services, addressing long-standing challenges faced by residents in cross-border areas. Officials say the aim is to make better use of existing infrastructure on both sides of the border, avoiding duplication and ensuring consistent standards of care regardless of nationality. “What we want is for the populations to receive care and have a package of services that can be resolved with the installed capacities that exist on both sides,” Rios added. Under the agreement, citizens will be able to cross the border to receive medical treatment that may not be available in their home country. This includes allowing Brazilian patients to be treated in Uruguay when necessary, and vice versa. Dr Ernesto Pacini explained that the arrangement would also cover the provision of medicines across borders. “The Brazilian Health Service comes with the medication, and it will also be provided, if necessary, to a Uruguayan user,” he said. The care model will operate on a rotational basis, with healthcare teams from Uruguay and Brazil alternating service provision. Uruguay will deploy primary healthcare staff twice a month, followed by Brazilian teams the following week, who will also supply medication and assistance to Uruguayan patients when required."