The Collaborating Centres in the Region have been supporting the Organization with COVID-19 related initiatives on several topics.
Laboratory Biosafety and Quality
As a joint effort, the WHO Collaborating Centre (CC) on Laboratory Biosafety at the Ministry of Health (MEX-31), the WHO CC on Laboratory Quality Management at the Ministry of Health (MEX-34), and the WHO CC for Surveillance, Epidemiology & Control of Influenza at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (USA-118) are conducting the following activities:
- Training
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
- Quality Control/Quality Assurance
- Biosafety and Biosecurity
- Health Promotion and Risk Communication
- Periodic and situational reports
Rational Use of Medicines
In Argentina, the WHO CC on the Rational Use of Medicines at the Universidad Nacional de la Plata (ARG-30) supported the development of the Essential Medicines List for Management of Patients admitted to Intensive Care Units with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 Diagnosis.
eHealth and Digital Health
As a joint effort, the WHO CC in Knowledge Management at the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires (ARG-34), the WHO CC in eHealth at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (SPA-50), and the WHO CC for Information Systems for Health at the University of Illinois (USA-450) are helping to create COVID-19 Factsheets and Podcasts.
Chagas Disease
In Argentina, the WHO CC for Research, Referential Diagnosis, Biological Production & Training in Chagas & Parasitic Diseases at the Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr Carlos Malbrán” (ARG-14) is supporting ANLIS in the diagnosis of COVID-19.
Nursing
In Brazil, the WHO CC for Education of Health Technicians at the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) (BRA-59) launched Orientaciones para Cuidaores de Adultos Mayores en el marco de la Epidemia del Nuevo Coronavirus Covid-19.
In the United States, the WHO CC for Nursing Human Resources Development and Patient Safety at the University of Miami (USA-349) contributed to a chapter titled Nursing in the time of COVID-19: Two advanced practice nurses on the front lines of the pandemic in Perspectives and Contributions of Nursing to the Promotion of Universal Health.
Nutrition
In the United States, the WHO CC on Nutrition Research for Health at the Cornell University (USA-457*) (currently in the process of designation, was USA-425 from 2016-2020) submitted a manuscript and published a protocol in PROSPERO with WHO to inform guidelines on infant feeding and received an NIH award to develop a point-of-care antigen/antibody test on the FeverPhone platform, particularly for use in resource-limited settings and ports of entry.
Health Equity
In Brazil, the WHO CC for Health Equity Monitoring at the Federal University of Pelotas (BRA-84) co-led a virtual seminar titled Epidemiology and Inequalities in Brazil: The EpiCOVID19 Study.
Health Law
In the United States, the WHO CC for National and Global Health Law at the Georgetown University (USA-414) contributed to the launch of the COVID-19 Law Lab, a database of laws that countries have implemented in response to the pandemic.
Alcohol
In Canada, the WHO CC for Addiction and Mental Health at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) (CAN-29) collaborated on several editorials focused on alcohol and COVID-19 (Alcohol Policy and Coronavirus: An Open Research Agenda and Alcohol use in times of the COVID-19: Implications for monitoring and policy) and is currently contributing to a regional study titled Alcohol Consumption during COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean Countries including performing data analysis and preparing a scientific publication.
