San Jose, Costa Rica, August 16, 2024 (PAHO). The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Latin American Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (SLIPE) signed a cooperation agreement today aimed at reducing infectious diseases prevalent among children and adolescents in Latin America.
Despite a 60% decrease in deaths among children under 5 years old in Latin America and the Caribbean since 2000, infectious diseases – like flu and pneumonia, malaria and TB- remain a leading cause of death in this age group. In addition to causing mortality and disability, these diseases impose significant economic and social costs on families and communities, disproportionately affecting those with limited resources and in vulnerable situations.
“This agreement will enable PAHO to provide technical and strategic guidance to strengthen health systems and address childhood infections,” Dr. Alfonso Tenorio Gnecco, PAHO/WHO Representative in Costa Rica said. “Our goal is to reduce preventable child deaths through a comprehensive range of interventions,” Dr. Tenorio Gnecco added, who signed the agreement on behalf of PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa.
PAHO and SLIPE will collaborate on projects in key areas such as vaccination, pediatric infectious diseases, arboviruses (such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya), perinatal infections, and neonatal sepsis. Additionally, they will work to strengthen surveillance systems, promote ongoing research to inform clinical practices, and implement awareness campaigns.
“The signing of this framework agreement represents a crucial step in the fight against antimicrobial resistance in the region,” Dr. María Luisa Ávila, President of SLIPE said, which has more than 1,200 members in the region. “This collaboration will enhance our capacity to tackle this growing threat by promoting joint actions and implementing strategies based on scientific evidence, which are essential for protecting the health of our children and adolescents in Latin America.”
This five-year, renewable technical cooperation framework agreement aligns with other PAHO initiatives aimed at addressing infectious diseases and promoting child and adolescent health in the region. These include the Action Plan for the Health of Women, Children, and Adolescents 2018-2030 and the Disease Elimination Initiative, which seeks to eliminate more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions by 2030.
About the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) works with the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of its population. Founded in 1902, it is the world’s oldest international public health agency. It serves as the Regional Office of WHO for the Americas and is the specialized health agency of the Inter-American system.
About the Latin American Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (SLIPE)
The Latin American Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (SLIPE), founded in the 1980s, emerged from an initiative of Latin American physicians specializing in pediatric infectious diseases. Its mission is to promote the development of the medical specialty in the region, facilitate the exchange of knowledge, and promote scientific research in the field among Latin American countries, promoting regional and global collaborative research and continuing medical education.
