In August 2024 the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the Latin American Society of Paediatric Infectious Diseases (SLIPE) signed a cooperation agreement with the aim of reducing infectious diseases prevalent among children and adolescents in Latin America. Although deaths in children under 5 years have decreased by 60% in Latin America and the Caribbean since 2000, infectious diseases continue to represent a major health threat to the 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.”
A 5-year framework
The agreement is a 5-year, renewable technical cooperation framework agreement and aligns with PAHO’s initiatives to address infectious diseases and promote child and adolescent health in the region. PAHO and SLIPE will work together on projects in “key areas” such as vaccination, paediatric infectious diseases, arboviruses, perinatal infections, and neonatal sepsis. They will also collaborate on efforts to “strengthen surveillance systems, promote ongoing research to inform clinical practices, and implement awareness campaigns”.
Dr Alfonso Tenorio Gnecco, PAHO/WHO Representative in Costa Rica signed the agreement on behalf of PAHO Director Dr Jarbas Barbosa and hopes that it will enable PAHO to “provide technical and strategic guidance to strengthen health systems and address childhood infections”.
“Our goal is to reduce preventable child deaths through a comprehensive range of interventions.”
SLIPE President Dr María Luisa Ávila described the signing as a “crucial step in the fight against antimicrobial resistance in the region”.
“This collaboration will enhance our capacity to tackle this growing threat by promoting joint actions and implementing our strategies based on scientific evidence, which are essential for protecting the health of our children and adolescents in Latin America.”
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