With technical support from PAHO, Panama strengthened its Expanded Program on Immunization through updated strategies based on a life-course approach, prioritizing unvaccinated and undervaccinated populations.

Within the framework of the regional launch of Vaccination Week in the Americas 2025, which was hosted by Panama, the country consolidated its leadership by incorporating high‑impact vaccines, including the nonavalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20), thereby expanding protection against vaccine‑preventable diseases. Technical cooperation included the integration of georeferencing and microcensus tools to strengthen evidence‑based planning, coverage monitoring, and the identification of territorial gaps, enabling targeted actions in hard‑to‑reach communities.

These innovations consolidated the integration of the immunization program into the first level of care and strengthened the health system’s capacity to prevent outbreaks and respond to health emergencies. This achievement contributes to the elimination of communicable diseases, improves access to essential services for all, and generates sustained benefits for population health across the life course.