Asunción, August 9, 2024 (PAHO) - From August 6 to 9, a workshop was held in Paraguay to implement the Mosaic Framework for Respiratory Virus Surveillance, an initiative led by WHO and designed to help countries adapt and improve their respiratory virus surveillance systems. This workshop is part of a global pilot, being the second implemented in the Americas region and the first conducted in Spanish. The lessons learned from using the material in Spanish will be invaluable for the initiative's rollout in other countries in the region. The primary goal of the workshop was to map current approaches, identify gaps, and strengthen respiratory virus surveillance capacities.
The event brought together 34 participants from various units of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare (MSPBS), as well as a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG). The opening ceremony was led by representatives from the Directorate of Health Surveillance of the Ministry of Health, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
During the workshop, work was focused on the three domains of the Mosaic Framework:
- Detection and assessment of emerging and re-emerging viruses
- Monitoring the epidemiological characteristics of seasonal viruses
- Using surveillance data to guide response and control interventions for respiratory viruses
"The success of the workshop is due to the participation of key sectors identified both within and outside the Ministry of Health. This allowed us to identify existing gaps in the surveillance systems and establish priorities through actions to be implemented in the short, medium, and long term. This will enhance epidemiological and laboratory surveillance, as well as communication between different levels; from decision-makers, and health professionals, to the general population," commented Elena Penayo, Coordinator of the Special and Sentinel Surveillance Program at the General Directorate of Health, MSPBS Paraguay.
The workshop concluded with a feedback session and discussion on the follow-up of the findings, and finally, the final Mosaic of Paraguay and the necessary actions identified during the workshop were presented to the attending authorities.
For more information, visit the WHO Mosaic Framework for Respiratory Virus Surveillance initiative page.
