Washington DC, 19 December 2024 – On this year’s Epidemic Preparedness Day, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), through its Infectious Hazards Management Unit (IHM) within the Health Emergencies Department, spotlights its milestones in epidemic and pandemic preparedness for 2024 and unveils ambitious objectives for 2025. These initiatives underscore the vital need for proactive measures to safeguard public health and mitigate the impact of future epidemics and pandemics across the Americas.
2024 Achievements: Building a Stronger Foundation for Preparedness
In 2024, PAHO developed and disseminated critical technical resources in multiple regional languages to enhance pandemic readiness. Accessible via a dedicated website, these resources include comprehensive step-by-step guidance in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, alongside detailed technical documents and checklists. These tools are designed to help countries align their national preparedness strategies with global standards, ensuring readiness across diverse settings.
The Pandemic Preparedness and Response (PRET) initiative plays a key role in updating and strengthening the pandemic preparedness plans. Following this initiative, nine countries actively engaged stakeholders to implement PRET, five initiated the drafting of updated national preparedness plans, and two conducted simulation exercises to test the resilience of their systems.
PAHO also played a key role in global preparedness efforts, collaborating with WHO’s PRET Secretariat, and other global pandemic preparedness activities such as the 2024 Global EOC Simulation Exercise (GEOCX 2024), FETP training, Interregional meeting on Strengthening Preparedness for Health Emergencies and Disasters in Cities and Urban Settings. These contributions enriched regional and global efforts to enhance pandemic response mechanisms.
Looking Ahead: 2025 Goals for Pandemic Preparedness
As the region looks to 2025, PAHO is set to conduct national and subregional workshops to expand the implementation of the PRET framework throughout the Americas. Special focus will be given to countries supported by the Pandemic Fund, with plans to provide them with direct technical assistance to update their pandemic preparedness strategies. Additionally, PAHO will convene the inaugural meeting of its Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) on epidemic and pandemic prevention and preparedness, further strengthening regional collaboration and innovation in health security.
Reflecting on lessons from the influenza and COVID-19 pandemics, PAHO reiterates that health security is a shared responsibility, emphasizing the principle that "no one is safe until everyone is safe." Agile and adaptive response systems, coupled with cross-sectoral collaboration, remain essential to achieving the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005) standards.
Advancing Laboratory and Surveillance Capacity for Epidemic- and Pandemic-Prone Pathogens
PAHO has made significant progress in strengthening laboratory capabilities and surveillance systems to combat diseases with epidemic and pandemic potential. These efforts have focused on respiratory viruses (e.g., influenza [including avian and other zoonotic influenza], SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses), endemic arboviruses (e.g., dengue, chikungunya, and Zika), encephalitic and emerging arboviruses (e.g., Oropouche, West Nile virus, and equine encephalitis viruses), and viral hemorrhagic fevers (e.g., hantavirus and arenavirus). In 2024, the organization led regional workshops, conducted in-country missions, and deployed advanced pathogen detection methods to enable countries to strengthen diagnostic capabilities.
A cornerstone of these efforts was the rollout of the Strategy on Regional Genomic Surveillance for Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Response, which significantly enhanced genomic sequencing and bioinformatics capabilities. These advancements equip the region to address both emerging and re-emerging health threats with greater precision and speed.
These technologies have not only reinforced the response to ongoing epidemics but have also become indispensable tools for preparing for future health crises. In 2024, PAHO prioritized building the capacity of the public health workforce by delivering specialized training in these cutting-edge technologies and ensuring access to validated protocols, equipment, and reagents. This comprehensive approach lays a strong foundation for a more resilient and prepared regional health system.
A One Health Approach: Tackling Zoonotic Threats
Through a One Health approach, the Health Emergencies Department and the Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health (PANAFTOSA) collaborated to address zoonotic influenza risks at the human-animal interface. Initiatives included avian influenza risk assessments, enhanced bird population monitoring, and specialized training on outbreak response, clinical management, and infection prevention and control for severe respiratory cases.
A Commitment to the Future
On this Epidemic Preparedness Day, PAHO reaffirms its dedication to fortifying the region’s defenses against future health emergencies. By prioritizing innovation, collaboration, and capacity-building, PAHO is committed to equipping every country in the Americas with the tools necessary to protect its populations and contribute to global health security.
For more information, visit:
-Laboratory Systems - PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization
