Please, access to PAHO´s webite for more information.

https://www.paho.org/en/open-call-experts-pahos-strategic-advisory-group-epidemic-and-pandemic-prevention-and-preparedness

Credits: Republished from PAHO´s website.

Participants agreed on the need to create an intersectoral commission to strengthen detection, prevention and response to zoonotic influenza. “It is essential to promote this commission under the “One Health” approach to comprehensively address zoonoses,” said Dr. Sylvain Aldighieri, Director of PAHO’s Department of Prevention, Control and Elimination of Communicable Diseases.

The Inter-sectoral Commission for the Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza in the Americas will enable public, animal and environmental health sectors to exchange updated information on surveillance, epidemiological risk and evolution of circulating viruses. The commission is also expected to promote strategies at the national, sub-regional and regional levels and strengthen coordination.

PAHO’s Health Emergency Department and the Pan American Center for Foot and Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health (PANAFTOSA) led the March 12-14 meeting to discuss the Commission’s objectives, structure and operation.

“One Health” is an approach that fosters intersectoral collaboration to prevent zoonotic and vector-borne diseases by mobilizing diverse stakeholders such as veterinarians, physicians, epidemiologists and community leaders.

It is estimated that 75% of emerging human infectious diseases originate in animals. Since 2020, a variant of avian influenza virus subtype A(H5N1) has caused deaths in wild birds and poultry in multiple countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and, in 2022, spread to Central and South America.

In January 2023, the first case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) was reported in Latin America, and since then, several countries in the region have confirmed cases in both birds and humans. So far, human cases of avian influenza have been sporadic, and no sustained human-to-human transmission has been identified.

“It is crucial that countries continue to strengthen early detection and containment of any event or outbreak at the human-animal interface,” Dr. Ciro Ugarte, Director of PAHO’s Department of Health Emergencies, said. “The various sectors involved must collaborate on both surveillance and response.”

The new Commission will comprise specialists in the areas of seasonal influenza, zoonosis, pandemics, epidemiology and laboratory from ministries of health in the Americas. It will also include veterinary officials, representatives of the environmental sector, and collaborating centers, with PAHO acting as secretariat.

According to Ottorino Cosivi, Director of PANAFTOSA, the Commission “will act as a catalyst for regional work to address avian influenza.” Cosivi highlighted the effectiveness of other regional mechanisms coordinated by PAHO, such as REDIPRA, which facilitates intersectoral collaboration in the fight against rabies in the Americas and has contributed significantly towards the elimination of this disease in the region.

Also participating in the meeting this week were representatives of several organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the International Regional Organization for Plant and Animal Health (OIRSA), the Caribbean Animal Health Network (CaribVET), the Executive Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Health of Central America and the Dominican Republic (SE-COMISCA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and WHO collaborating centers for human and animal influenza.

Credits and thanks to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)

The WHO PRET initiative aims to provide comprehensive guidance to countries to strengthen health emergency preparedness, response coordination, sustainable financing, and other countries’ core capacities for responding to future public health events. During the workshop in Bogotá, the first module of PRET, dedicated to threats posed by respiratory pathogens, was analyzed. The meeting also had technical participation from representatives from the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States of America (CDC).

The COVID-19 pandemic has provided crucial lessons and presented pressing challenges that require a coordinated, integrated, and multisectoral response. “That is why it is imperative to act swiftly to address them before new diseases caused by respiratory pathogens emerge,” said Gina Tambini, the PAHO/WHO representative in Colombia.

A diverse group of public health professionals from the six invited countries identified the challenges and needs for effective planning and response to pandemics caused by respiratory pathogens. “During the sessions, multisectoral and multilevel coordination was also encouraged for the development of strategies for pandemic preparedness and response, and a regional roadmap was developed to facilitate the updating and development of plans for respiratory pathogens pandemics preparedness and response,” noted Andrea Villalobos, International PAHO Consultant for Health Emergencies.

The Five Components
The workshop addressed five essential components of PRET Module 1: Emergency Coordination, Collaborative Surveillance, Community Protection, Clinical Care, and Access to Medical Countermeasures.

Mauricio Cerpa, Health Emergencies Advisor at PAHO Colombia, emphasized multisectoral collaboration and continuous strengthening of preparedness to address future epidemics and pandemics caused by respiratory pathogens. He also emphasized the importance of resource sustainability for preparedness, a responsibility shared by all sectors, beyond public health. “These plans must be aligned with national policies and budget cycles to expand the union’s capacity and improve emergency response.”

The interdisciplinary representation of the countries allowed the development of a roadmap in the Americas. Working with a multisectoral focus in preparedness and planning strengthens the core capacities to respond to potential public health emergencies caused by respiratory pathogens. Furthermore, each country must ensure that health is a priority on the national political agenda and that planning is included in national government coordination bodies.

Credits and thanks to the Pan American Health Orgatization (PAHO)

Public health and social measures (PHSMs) are a key strategy to reduce the transmission of pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential. PHSMs include non-pharmaceutical interventions that can be taken by individuals, institutions, communities, local and national governments and international bodies to slow or stop the spread of an infectious disease, such as COVID-19. Individuals can, for example, engage in behaviours such as frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, wearing a mask and keeping a physical distance from other people. Authorities and communities can enact measures such as contact tracing, isolation of cases and contacts, school measures, business closures, restricting public gatherings, travel bans and cordon sanitaire.

These measures can prevent individuals from being exposed to the virus, decreasing the number of people who will become sick, require hospitalization or die from the disease. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this has been referred to as flattening the curve because of its role in reducing the pressure on the healthcare system and buying time to develop pharmaceutical interventions like vaccines and medication.

PHSMs have significant consequences for individuals and societies, including on health, social and economic aspects. To ensure the burden does not outweigh their benefits, decision-makers need to have a thorough understanding of how the measures work in different contexts, combinations and durations. 

The World Health Organization has launched a new multi-year initiative to measure the effectiveness and social, health and economic impact of PHSMs during health emergencies. It aims at strengthening the global evidence to inform the development of action-oriented guidance, mechanisms and tools for decision-makers.