The Minister of Health of Costa Rica said that it was an honor for his country to receive this classification, while Dr. Chan stated that the letter represents “very strong recognition of Costa Rica’s capacity” to respond to emergencies. She expressed hope that Costa Rica will continue to strengthen its capacity, and that of the region and beyond. She affirmed that this is why WHO was created: to help countries respond to emergencies of any kind, be they disasters, epidemics, or another type of crisis.
