Our commitment in the Elimination Initiative is to improve the quality of life of people and communities. This forces us to think and act differently and create synergies and transformative strategies. Take action to end the suffering and harm caused by communicable diseases, so that health thrives and communities flourish.
In 2019, Pan American Health Organization Member States approved the Disease Elimination Initiative: A Policy for an Integrated Sustainable Approach to Communicable Diseases in the Americas committing to eliminating more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions by 2030.
Why Now?
The timing is critical. Over the past decades, the Americas achieved remarkable milestones in disease elimination. Smallpox was eradicated in 1980, followed by the elimination of polio. Rubella, congenital rubella syndrome, and neonatal tetanus were also wiped out. By 2024, several countries were malaria-free, and HIV transmission from mother to child was halted. However, challenges persist. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health interventions and set back progress. Now, we must seize the moment to accelerate disease elimination.
Why Invest? Because It Pays Off!
According to global estimates, investing in disease elimination boosts well-being and the economy:
1. Neglected Infectious Diseases:
These diseases are cost-effective investments. For every US$1 spent, we gain a net benefit of around US$25. That’s a 30% annualized rate of return—a financial win for global health.
2. Socioeconomic Impact:
Eliminating leprosy, leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease isn’t just about health; it’s about economics. We’re talking $16.6 billion in benefits for 2021-2030, plus $10.4 billion less in out-of-pocket expenses.
3. Tuberculosis:
Invest in diagnosis and treatment, and the returns range from US$30 to as high as US$115 per dollar. It’s a smart move.
4. Ending HIV:
Meeting HIV targets saves US$24 billion in treatment costs . That’s a 15-fold return on investment. Lives transformed; economies boosted.
5. Vaccination Magic:
Every dollar invested in vaccination delivers a return of US$26.35. Protecting lives, enhancing productivity—it’s a no-brainer.
Highlights
Our constant commitment generates repercussions throughout the region
A history of Diseases Elimination successes
Recent certifications and validations
The results of this initiative are milestones that significantly improve the quality of life for individuals and communities. The commitment of countries, communities, partners, donors, allies, and PAHO is reflected in these achievements.
Malaria
Countries certified as malaria-free in the Americas
Mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis
Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in the Americas
Trachoma
Countries certified as free of trachoma in the Americas
Onchocerciasis
Countries certified as free of onchocerciasis in the Americas
Human rabies
Countries certified as free of human rabies in the Americas
Elimination targets for 2030
Communicable diseases and related conditions candidates for elimination by 2030
Elimination target
Achieve a cumulative attack rate of suspected cases of meningitis below 1% per 100,000 inhabitants.
Elimination target
Achieve an incidence rate of cervical cancer in women of less than 4 per 100,000 women.
Elimination target
Achieve in a sustained manner for at least 5 years, lower the percentages (0% non-native vectors - less than 1% native vectors) of intra-domiciliary and peridomiciliary infestation of Trypanosoma cruzi by all vector species.
Elimination target
Achieve the absence of community transmission of epidemic Vibrio cholerae for at least three consecutive years.
Elimination target
Reach 90% of newborns cured of T. cruzi infection.
Elimination target
Achieve an incidence rate of less than 0.5% per 1,000 live newborns of syphilis transmitted from mother to child.
Elimination target
Achieve an incidence rate of 0% per 100,000 inhabitants of cystic echinococcosis/hydatidosis in people under 20 years of age.
ELIMINATION
Fascioliasis
Learn more about this disease
Elimination target
Maintain a prevalence of fascioliasis below 5% over time in children between 5 and 14 years of age and achieve 0 cases of high-intensity infections in the same age group.
Elimination target
Achieve a prevalence of moderate and severe infection due to A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura and hookworms in school-age children (5 to 14 years) below 2%.
Elimination target
Achieve elimination as a public health problem.
Elimination target
Achieve a prevalence of HBsAg below 0.1% in children aged 4 to 6 years.
Elimination target
Achieve a rate of less than or equal to 2% HIV incidence of mother-to-child transmission per 100 live births of women with HIV
Elimination target
Achieve an incidence rate of less than 0.02 new HIV infections per 1,000 people per year (90% reduction since 2010). And achieve a 65% reduction in annual HIV-related deaths compared to 2010 values.
Elimination target
Achieve a rate of 0 cases of rabies mortality transmitted by dogs per 1,000 inhabitants.
Elimination target
Achieve numbers equivalent to 0 new autochthonous cases for at least five consecutive years among children up to 15 years of age and 0 new autochthonous cases for at least three consecutive years after achieving interruption of transmission.
Elimination target
Achieve a prevalence, sustained for at least 4 years, of microfilaremia below 1% or prevalence of antigenemia below 2% in persons up to 5 years of age after discontinuation of mass drug administration.
Elimination target
Achieve 0 new indigenous cases for three consecutive years.
Elimination target
Achieve a prevalence of infective flies and seroprevalence of onchocerciasis in children under 10 years of age below 0.1%
Elimination target
Reach 0 confirmed cases of plague.
Elimination target
90% reduction in new syphilis and gonorrhea infections compared to 2020.
Elimination target
Achieve a proportion of high intensity Schistosoma mansoni infections in school-age children (5 to 14 years) below 1%.
Elimination target
Achieve a prevalence below 5% of follicular trachomatous inflammation in children aged 1 to 9 years and below 0.2% of trachomatous trichiasis unknown to the health system in people aged 15 years and older in each previously endemic district.
Elimination target
Achieve the pre-elimination of tuberculosis by reaching an incidence rate of less than 1 case per 100,000 inhabitants and the elimination of tuberculosis as a public health problem by reaching a rate of less than 0.1 case per 100,000 inhabitants.
Eliminación de determinantes ambientales de la salud eliminación
Elimination target
Reduce (2030) the population that practices open defecation by 95% (2020).
Elimination target
Reach a percentage below 5% of the population that depends on the use of biomass fuels for cooking
Mantener ELIMINATION
Elimination target
Achieve the absence of cases of congenital rubella syndrome associated with endemic transmission.
Elimination target
Achieve freedom from endemic transmission for at least 12 months.
Elimination target
Achieve an incidence rate of neonatal tetanus below 1% per 1,000 live births.
Elimination target
Reach 0 cases per 1,000,000 people under 15 years of age.
Elimination target
Achieve freedom from endemic transmission for at least 12 months.
Elimination target
Reach 0 cases of urban yellow fever due to transmission by Aedes aegypti and maintain zero new jungle outbreaks of yellow fever.
Erradicación
Elimination target
Achieve 0 cases of foot and mouth disease in countries or areas where vaccination is not practiced.
Elimination target
Achieve an incidence rate of infection by Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue of 0 new autochthonous cases confirmed serologically and by PCR for 3 consecutive years. Also the seroprevalence of infection by Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue in children from 1 to 5 years of age for 3 continuous years measured with serological surveys.
