This area of work supports countries in surveillance, prevention, preparedness, and control of pandemic and epidemic-prone diseases (including influenza, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), dengue, Zika virus, chikungunya, hemorrhagic fevers, hantavirus, yellow fever, emerging arboviruses, plague, cholera, epidemic-prone diarrheal diseases, leptospirosis, and meningococcal disease, among others). Capacity building will focus on forecasting, characterization of diseases and infectious risks, and development of evidence-based strategies to predict, prevent, detect, and respond to infectious hazards in the context of universal access to health. This includes developing and supporting prevention and control strategies, tools, and capacities for high-impact, high-consequence pathogens (including extremely resistant pathogens), and establishing and maintaining expert networks to leverage international expertise to detect, understand, and manage new and emerging pathogens. In the context of epidemics, people and communities should, without any kind of discrimination, have access to comprehensive, appropriate, timely, quality health services and technologies determined at the national level according to needs, as well as access to safe, effective, and affordable quality medicines, vaccines, and health supplies.

Work related to this outcome targets improved sharing of available knowledge and information on emerging and reemerging high-impact and/or high-consequence pathogens, enhancing surveillance and response to epidemic diseases with a strong focus on addressing groups in conditions of vulnerability, and working through networks to contribute to global mechanisms and processes. It also includes management of regional mechanisms to tackle the international dimension of epidemic diseases, with special emphasis on the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework.

Note: For further details on the scope of this Outcome, please refer to the PAHO Strategic Plan 20-25 Document.