• Elimination initiative header

Diseases Elimination Initiative

At PAHO, we aim to end more than 30 diseases and related conditions by 2030. The Elimination Initiative is an innovative policy that promotes an integrated, sustainable approach to accelerate progress towards elimination in the Region of the Americas.

Our commitment to the Elimination Initiative is to improve the quality of life for people and communities. This requires us to think and act differently, creating synergies and transformative strategies. Take action to end the suffering and harm caused by communicable diseases, ensuring health thrives and communities flourish.

Why Now?

The timing is critical. Over the past decades, the Americas have achieved remarkable milestones in disease elimination. Smallpox was eradicated in 1980, followed by the elimination of polio. Rubella, congenital rubella syndrome, and neonatal tetanus were also wiped out. By 2024, several countries had become malaria-free, and mother-to-child transmission of HIV had been halted. However, challenges persist. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health interventions and set back progress. Now, we must seize this moment to accelerate disease elimination and build on our successes.

Decorative image decorative image Decorative image

Why Invest? Because It Pays Off!

According to global estimates, investing in disease elimination boosts well-being and the economy:

1. Neglected Infectious Diseases:

For every dollar invested in eliminating these diseases, there is a net benefit of around US$25. That’s a 30% annualized rate of return—a financial win for global health.

2. Socioeconomic Impact:

Eliminating leprosy, leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease isn’t just about health; it’s about economics. We’re talking $16.6 billion in benefits for 2021-2030, plus $10.4 billion less in out-of-pocket expenses.

3. Tuberculosis:

Invest in diagnosis and treatment, and the returns range from US$30 to as high as US$115 per dollar. It’s a smart move.

4. Ending HIV:

Meeting HIV targets saves US$24 billion in treatment costs . That’s a 15-fold return on investment. Lives transformed; economies boosted.

5. Vaccination Magic:

Every dollar invested in vaccination delivers a return of US$26.35. Protecting lives, enhancing productivity—it’s a no-brainer.

Disease elimination initiative toolkit

toolkit banner

A history of Diseases Elimination successes

 

Recent certifications and validations

The results of this initiative are milestones that have significantly improved the quality of life for individuals and communities. The commitment of countries, communities, partners, donors, allies, and PAHO is reflected in these achievements.

Lymphatic Filariasis

Elimination of the lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem

Malaria

Countries certified as malaria-free in the Americas

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis

Countries certified free of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis

Trachoma

Countries validated as free of trachoma in the Americas

Onchocerciasis

Countries certified as free of onchocerciasis in the Americas

Human rabies transmitted by dogs

Countries certified as free of human rabies in the Americas

Elimination targets for 2030

Communicable diseases and related conditions candidates for elimination by 2030

 

Bacterial meningitis, epidemics feature image

ELIMINATION

Bacterial meningitis, epidemics

Elimination target

50% reduction of bacterial meningitis cases.

70% reduction of deaths due to bacterial meningitis.

 Cervical cancer feature image

ELIMINATION

Cervical cancer

Elimination target

<4 new cases per 100,000 women.

Chagas disease feature image

ELIMINATION

Chagas disease

Elimination target

0% (alloctonous vectors); <=1% (autochthonous vectors) households with intra and peridomiciliary vector infestation of T.cruzi sustained for at least five (5) years in the entire territory and by all vectors.

0% (alloctonous vectors); <=1% (autochthonous vectors) households with intra and peridomiciliary vector infestation of T.cruzi either by territory or by vector in a given period.

Elimination target

Absence of community transmission of epidemic Vibrio cholerae for at least three (3) consecutive years.

 Congenital Chagas feature image

ELIMINATION

Congenital Chagas

Elimination target

≥90% of newborns with T. cruzi infection, cured.

 Congenital syphilis feature image

ELIMINATION

Congenital syphilis

Elimination target

≤ than 0.5 new cases of mother-to-child transmission of syphilis per 1,000 live births.

Cystic Echinococcosis/Hydatidosis feature image

ELIMINATION

Cystic Echinococcosis/Hydatidosis

Elimination target

Zero (0) cases in people <15 years old per 100,000 people <15 years old.

Fascioliasis feature image

ELIMINATION

Fascioliasis

Elimination target

≤5% of cases of fascioliasis in humans detected by coprology (sustained over time).

Zero (0) cases cases of fascioliasis in children aged 5-14 years with ≥ 400 eggs per gram of feces.

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis feature image

ELIMINATION

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis

Elimination target

<2% Prevalence of moderate and severe infection due to A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura and hookworms in school-age children (5 to 14 years).

 Hepatitis B feature image

ELIMINATION

Hepatitis B

Elimination target

90% reduction in the incidence of hepatitis B compared to 2015.

<4 per 100,000 inhabitants (65% reduction in mortality from hepatitis B compared to 2015).

Hepatitis C feature image

ELIMINATION

Hepatitis C

Elimination target

<5 per 100,000 inhabitants (90% reduction in the incidence of chronic hepatitis C compared to 2015)

<2 per 100,000 inhabitants for hepatitis (65% reduction in mortality from hepatitis C compared to 2015).

Hepatitis B, mother-to-child-transmission feature image

ELIMINATION

Hepatitis B, mother-to-child-transmission

Elimination target

≤0.1% prevalence of HBsAg in children aged 4 to 6 years.

HIV, mother-to-child-transmission feature image

ELIMINATION

HIV, mother-to-child-transmission

Elimination target

≤2% incidence rate of mother-to-child transmission per 100 live births of women with HIV.

Elimination target

65% reduction in annual HIV-related deaths compared to 2010 values.

<0.02 new infections per 1000 inhabitants per year (90% reduction since 2010).

Human rabies transmitted by dogs feature image

ELIMINATION

Human rabies transmitted by dogs

Elimination target

Zero (0) human deaths from dog-transmitted rabies for five (5) consecutive years.

Elimination target

Zero (0) new autochthonous cases for at least three (3) consecutive years AFTER reaching interruption of transmission among children <15 years (indicator of disease elimination).

Zero (0) new autochthonous cases of leprosy for at least five (5) consecutive years (indicator of interruption of transmission).

Lymphatic filariasis feature image

ELIMINATION

Lymphatic filariasis

Elimination target

Prevalence of microfilaremia <1% or prevalence of antigenemia <2% in persons => 5 years of age sustained for at least 4 years after stopping mass drug administration.

Elimination target

Zero (0) new autochthonous cases for three (3) consecutive years.

Onchocerciasis feature image

ELIMINATION

Onchocerciasis

Elimination target

< 0.1% prevalence of infective flies and Seroprevalence of onchocerciasis in children under 10 years of age.

Elimination target

Zero (0) new confirmed cases of plague

Sexually transmitted infections feature image

ELIMINATION

Sexually transmitted infections

Elimination target

90% reduction in new syphilis and gonorrhea infections compared to 2020.

Schistosomiasis feature image

ELIMINATION

Schistosomiasis

Elimination target

<1% proportion of high-intensity Schistosoma mansoni infections in school-aged children (5 to 14 years).

Elimination target

<5% of trachomatous inflammation-follicular in children aged 1-9 years.

<0.2% of trachomatous trichiasis in people aged 15 years and above.

Tuberculosis feature image

ELIMINATION

Tuberculosis

Elimination target

Pre-elimination of tuberculosis: <1 cases per 100,000 inhabitants; elimination of tuberculosis as a public health problem: <0.1 case per 100,000 inhabitants.

Elimination of environmental risk factors

 

Open defecation feature image

ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS

Open defecation

Elimination target

95% reduction in the number of people practicing open defecation (2030 vs. 2020).

Polluting fuels in the household feature image

ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS

Polluting fuels in the household

Elimination target

<5% percentage of population that depends on the use of polluting fuels in the household.

Maintain the Elimination

 

Congenital rubella feature image

MAINTAIN THE ELIMINATION

Congenital rubella

Elimination target

Zero (0) endemic cases of congenital rubella syndrome in 12 months in any defined geographical area.

Measles feature image

MAINTAIN THE ELIMINATION

Measles

Elimination target

Zero (0) endemic cases of measles in 12 months in any defined geographical area.

Neonatal tetanus feature image

MAINTAIN THE ELIMINATION

Neonatal tetanus

Elimination target

<1 new confirmed cases of neonatal tetanus per 1,000 live births in each district (or equivalent administrative unit) of a country in a year.

Poliomyelitis feature image

MAINTAIN THE ELIMINATION

Poliomyelitis

Elimination target

Zero (0) cases of poliomyelitis due to wild poliovirus or circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus in children younger than 15 years in 12 months in any defined geographical area.

Rubella feature image

MAINTAIN THE ELIMINATION

Rubella

Elimination target

Zero (0) endemic cases of rubella in 12 months in any defined geographical area.

Yellow fever, epidemics feature image

MAINTAIN THE ELIMINATION

Yellow fever, epidemics

Elimination target

Zero (0) cases of urban yellow fever due to transmission by Aedes aegypti.

Eradication

 

Foot-and-mouth disease feature image

ERADICATION

Foot-and-mouth disease

Elimination target

Zero (0) cases in the absence of vaccination in countries free of foot-and-mouth disease.

Elimination target

Absence of cases verified by PCR Zero (0) new serologically confirmed autochthonous cases for three (3) consecutive years

Multimedia

Webinar: PAHO’s initiative for the elimination of communicable diseases
Video play Icon
Webinar: PAHO’s initiative for the elimination of communicable diseases
Intercultural Dialogue and the Mojojoy Fable
Video play Icon
Intercultural Dialogue and the Mojojoy Fable
Jamaica achieves Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT) of HIV and Syphilis
Video play Icon
Jamaica achieves Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT) of HIV and…
On our way to Communicable Diseases Elimination
Video play Icon
On our way to Communicable Diseases Elimination

News

Regional Stories

Country Stories

Events

Documents

Communications Materials

Mandates and Strategies